Phoolka claims Congress not acting on Justice Ranjit Singh commission report after Rahul’s directions

LUDHIANA: Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Dakha MLA HS Phoolka on Monday claimed that Congress President Rahul Gandhi has not given his consent to the state Congress government to act on the Justice Ranjit Singh commission report and has asked them to spare Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim with an eye on Dera votes for the coming Haryana assembly elections.

Addressing media persons here on Monday, Phoolka said the Chief Minister and the Ministers are in constant touch with Rahul Gandhi on the issue of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission recommendations.

“I have come to know that the Congress president has told them to attack Akalis on the issue and take advantage of the same but spare Dera Chief because of impending assembly elections in Haryana,” he said.

AAP leader said that though the desecration cases are with the CBI, the Behbal Kalan firing incident case was with with the Punjab government and the state government if wanted could book former Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in the incident.

Phoolka said he was firm on his resignation and if Badal and Saini were not booked for killing of two protesters in Behbal Kalan firing incident after their clear indictment in Justice Ranjit Singh commission report, he would send his resignation in the sacred feet of Guru at Golden Temple on September 16 and a day later submit his resignation to the Speaker.

Adding that he would not let the incident go into the cold storage, Phoolka reiterated that even if the opposition calls his call for it a political stunt, he doesn't care. “I will resign as MLA if the three people and others named in report are not booked for killing innocent protesters by September 15. Congress is now shying away from taking action against Badal, after its minster and chief minister gave speeches on it in the house,” he said.

Phoolka said that being an advocate he was well aware of the legal procedure and once the commission report has recommended three names who were involved, there was no reason for the government to delay action against them. He added thatthe Chief Minister had to declare in Vidhan Sabha that recommendations of report were being accepted and implemented but he did not.

Responding to the claims of senior Akali leader Daljeet Singh Cheema that he would request the Bar council to cancel his license, Phoolka said leaders like him are saying what Jagdish Tyler had said in the past. He challenged them to file complaint anywhere, but reiterated that he won't stop demanding action on the report.