Chandigarh/New Delhi : Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday launched an indirect attack on Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi by raising questions over selection of ministers and bureaucrats in the state.
A day after tendering his resignation as Punjab Congress president, Sidhu released a video message saying he was fighting a “battle of truth”. “My 17 years of political journey has a purpose, to make a difference and to take a stand in politics. This is my duty. I am not fighting any personal battle. My battle is for people, and I stand by it,” he said in an over four-minute video clip shared on his Twitter handle.
Questioning the appointment of ministers and officials by Channi, Sidhu, without naming the Chief Minister,
said those very officers and the system that was responsible for all the misery in Punjab were back and he was against it.
“Where have our promises gone? I will continue to fight against the wrong,” he said in Punjabi.
He also said those who had given ‘clean chit to the Badals six years back” had been appointed by the Channi government.
“There was a system of tainted leaders, officers, now you cannot repeat the same system again. I will stand by my principles,” the state Congress leader said.
According to sources, Sidhu had objected to the induction of MLA Rana Gurjit Singh and some other ministers.
Sidhu has also opposed the appointment of APS Deol as Punjab’s Advocate General, and the promotion of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, who has been given the additional charge of the director general of Punjab police.
Deol and Sahota have both been linked with the Behbal Kalan firing case of 2015. The incident involved police using force against people protesting against desecration of Guru Granth Sahib, and had resorted to firing. Shiromani Akali Dal’s Parkash Singh Badal was the chief minister of the state at the time.
Sidhu’s resignation created a stir in the Congress, and the central leadership has asked the state unit to discuss the issues.
Since yesterday, several calls have been made by the central leadership of the party with MLAs and ministers in the state.
Razia Sultana, Pargat Singh and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring along with other MLAs had gone to meet Sidhu on Tuesday night.
Following Sidhu’s resignation, Sultana resigned as Punjab cabinet minister, Congress leader Yoginder Dhingra resigned as general secretary of the state party unit, Gulzar Inder Chahal resigned as treasurer of Punjab Congress and Gautam Seth tendered his resignation as the general secretary (in-charge training) of the state Congress.
Sidhu is also said to have been upset about Congress not announcing him as the face of the party in Punjab for the next assembly polls, and Channi keeping him out of the decision making.
The cricketer turned politician gave his resignation from the post of Punjab Congress Chief on Tuesday. His resignation has not yet been accepted by the Congress high command.
His resignation came days after Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as chief minister and was succeeded by Channi.
Singh has been vocal in his opposition to Sidhu being the Punjab chief minister, calling it a threat to national security.
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