No end to rift: Amounts to horse trading, says Pargat Singh

JALANDHAR: Questioning appointment of sons of two Congress MLAs in police and revenue departments, the incumbent party’s Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh has said these appointments created wrong perception about the party and the government and should thus be rescinded. The episode actually amounted to “horse trading”, he said, adding that the appointment of Congress MP Ravneet Bittu’s brother as DSP in Punjab Police was also wrong.
“We could not give jobs to scores of others who really needed jobs to sustain themselves but our government has used parameters for these two appointments which nobody can understand. I pity the MLAs also who got these jobs for their wards,” Pargat said while addressing a press conference here on Sunday. Punjab cabinet on Friday had approved appointment of MLA Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa’s son Arjun Partap Singh Bajwa as inspector (Group B) in Punjab police, while MLA Rakesh Pandey’s son Bhisham Pandey has been appointed as naib tehsildar. “Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has proved that how he can deliver things if really wills to do something as he pushed these through despite opposition from his cabinet ministers. His firmness for these two appointments shows that if he intends he could deliver on other issues too and the only issue is of political will,” Pargat argued.
Already Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar has opposed these appointments. “This clearly reflects what type of perception is being created for the party and the government,” he said, while appreciating the stand taken by five minsters who opposed these appointments.
Responding to a question that similar parameters were used for appointment of Congress MP Ravneet Bittu’s brother as DSP, Pargat responded, “The appointment in that case was also wrong. No political person should get such appointment for his kin on such parameters.” He said over 400 farmers have lost lives on borders of Delhi and their families need compassion. “The state government could have provided some quota for their families, who would have to pass through tests also, to recruit their kin in Punjab Police when new recruitments have been opened,” he said.
Pargat also argued that differences within the Congress are on issue and not of any factions. “However, a perception has been created as if fight is between Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu. The contention is around issues,” he said. Nawanshahr Congress MLA Angad Singh has also asked the state government to review its decision. He urged MLAs Bajwa and Pandey to reconsider before accepting offer of the government for these jobs. Angad posted about his dissent with Punjab’s decision on his Facebook page.