SAD-BJP delegation meets Speaker, seeks Khaira’s removal as Leader of Opposition

SAD- BJP leaders meet Punjab Speaker Rana KP Singh in Chandigarh Thursday. Express

A joint delegation of SAD and BJP on Thursday submitted a memorandum to Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker demanding immediate removal of AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira from the post of Leader of Opposition. Both parties also claimed that the Congress government was not serious about arresting Khaira.

A joint delegation, led by SAD leader Ajit Singh Kohar and BJP leader Som Prakash, urged Speaker Rana K P Singh to take take immediate action against Sukhpal Khaira in view of the “serious judicial indictment naming him as the kingpin of an international gang dealing in drugs as well as arms smuggling”.

Addressing the media, SAD leader Bikram Majithia said the Speaker agreed with the delegation that “Khaira’s deplorable actions were a blot on the image of the august House and assured to look into the matter expeditiously”. Majithia, however, said even as the court had proceeded against Sukhpal Khaira, “the Congress government was dragging its feet in taking action against him”.

Asking the Congress government “not to give kid-glove treatment to Khaira”, the SAD leader said: “The AAP leader should be arrested immediately as non-bailable warrants had been issued against him.” “Moreover, a supplementary challan can be produced against Khaira only if he is subjected to custodial interrogation,” he added.

The Akali leader also asked AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to explain “why he was maintaining a studious silence on this sensitive issue and had not even directed Khaira to submit himself to the process of law”.

“Kejriwal was fond of saying that he will make Punjab drugs free. Will he now stand up and expel Khaira from his party to at least make the AAP unit of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha drug free? If he does not do this it will seem that he is also compromised with drug money,” Majithia said.

The SAD leader also asked Khaira not to try to defame the courts by terming their orders as erroneous if they went against him.

“The present order against you in which you have been held to be the kingpin of an international drug racket with Pakistani links is based on strong and cogent evidence. Your game is up,” he added.