Chandigarh, June 21, 2023 (Yes Punjab News)
Former minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema today said the confrontational policy being followed by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann with the constitutional head of the State – the Governor would have dangerous repercussions for the State and its people.
Addressing a press conference here, the SAD leader said instead of looking after the interests of Punjabis and resolving their key issues and grievances, the chief minister was bent upon getting involved in a slanging match with the Governor. “In doing so he has lowered the dignity of the high office he holds”.
Asserting that the chief minister had gone berserk, Dr Daljit Cheema said “what can you expect from a person who used the sacred temple of democracy – the Vidhan Sabha to insult the symbols of Sikhism and even humiliated ‘kirtanias’.
Referring to the press conference of Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the SAD leader said “the Governor has made shocking disclosures. It has now become clear that the screening committee constituted by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to screen applicants for the post of the vice chancellor of the Punjab Technical University (PTU) was not constituted as per University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.
The Governor has also disclosed that even though 40 applicants had applied for the post, they were not called for an interview. Although the appointment has been made keeping the interest of the varsity which was without a head for two years, an independent probe is needed into all the deliberate lapses so that due action can be taken against those guilty”.
Dr Cheema said the Governor had also exposed the chief minister vis a vis issue of denial of Rural Development Fund (RDF) dues from the centre. He said Mr Bhagwant Mann had claimed in the assembly that the Governor did not taken up this issue with the centre even as the Governor has stated that he has not received a single letter on this issue from the government. “This is a fit case for moving a privilege motion against the chief minister”, he added.
The SAD leader also highlighted how the dubious role played by the chief minister vis a vis Panjab University had also been exposed by the Governor. “The SAD has all along questioned as to why the chief minister attended the meeting called by the Governor to affiliate Haryana colleges with Panjab University.
Now it has come to light that a decision to this regard was taken at a meeting of the North Zone Council and that the AAP government did not object to the proposal to discuss the issue afresh. He said the AAP government had also ignored Panjab University financially by failing to release Rs 494 crore due to the varsity even as it has kept an Rs 750 crore advertising budget”.
Dr Cheema said earlier also the chief minister had sacrificed the interests of Punjab vis a vis Chandigarh by failing to oppose Haryana’s proposal to build a separate Vidhan Sabha in the union territory. “He owes an explanation to Punjabis as to why he is betraying his State at the instance of his boss and AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal who wants to attain power in Haryana at the cost of the interests of Punjab and Punjabis”.
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