Clear air on alliance with Congress: Sukhpal Khaira to AAP leadership

Criticising his party’s central leadership for trying to form an alliance with the Congress for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Thursday asked it to clear the air on the issue and disclose whether there was any condition put by the Congress to remove him from the post of leader of opposition (LoP).

The rebel party MLA was addressing a gathering of party workers here as Amritsar unit of the party led by urban president Suresh Kumar Sharma and rural chief Pargat Singh Chugawan extended support to him. AAP Majha zone media in-charge Gurbhej Singh and other district-level office-bearers were also present on the occasion.

“Forming an alliance with the Congress will ruin the future of Punjab leadership of the party,” said Khaira on the sidelines of the event.

Slamming the state government for its “indifferent attitude” on the sacrilege incidents, Khaira said, “Newly formed political affairs committee (PAC) of AAP will meet Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore on Friday to demand a special session of Punjab assembly on the issue. We want implementation of the report of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission in letter and spirit. Though the CM has announced to table the report of commission in the coming session, it is not clear when the session will be held.”

He added, “As far the Behbal Kalan incident, the commission has clearly named the police officers behind the firing on the peaceful protest. However, their names are not being added to the FIR registered in this case. Instead, Capt has handed over the probe to CBI to put the case in cold storage.”

Replying to a media query, he said, “During his regime, the then CM Parkash Singh Badal did not take any action against the culprits of the sacrilege as the needle of suspicion was pointed towards the Dera Sacha Sauda from which his party sought votes. The reason behind inaction by Capt government is also the same.”

Terming the torturing of seven Sikh youths at Sanaur police station in Patiala a brutal form of offence, Khaira said the action taken against the accused cops is not sufficient.

First Published: Aug 10, 2018 09:48 IST