Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan orders probe into Assembly staff hiring during Cong rule

In his complaint letter to the Speaker, Bains alleged: “During 2017-2022, about 170 recruitments were made in Vidhan Sabha. That time Rana Kanwar Pal (Rana KP Singh) was the Speaker. Kith and kin were given jobs. Besides Rana KP Singh, (former Finance Minister) Manpreet Singh Badal, (former deputy Speaker) Ajaib Singh Bhatti and (present PPCC chief) Amrinder Singh Raja Warring got their favourites recruited in the Vidhan Sabha that resulted in deserving youths losing an opportunity. No reservation rules were followed but only a few seats were reserved. The members of the committee set up by Speaker for recruitments also got jobs to their relatives. This is a big scam.”

Reacting to the complaint, Sandhwan said he had ordered a probe.

“We will get this inquired into. Whatever has been done and is not in sync with the law would be probed,” he said.

The positions that were filled during this recruitment drive included posts such as assistant information officer, assistant librarian, assistant programmer, guard, clerk, computer operator, copy holder, data entry operator, junior translator, law officer, reporter, steno typist, junior scale stenographer, peon, sweeper, and ward assistant.

Bains had first raked up this alleged scam in January during his poll battle against Rana KP Singh from Anandpur Sahib Assembly segment.

Reacting to the allegations, Rana KP Singh said, “If there is one relative of mine who has been given a job in the Vidhan Sabha, then I will quit politics. These hirings have been done on merit.”

He added: “I was the first Speaker who followed the proper procedure to recruit better staff in Vidhan Sabha. We had placed an advertisement for applications, entrance test was conducted and even interviews were a part of the process. Prior to my taking over as Speaker, only walk-in recruitments were done. The applicants would just walk in and they were recruited. I introduced this system of test and interview. This is really unfortunate that the matter is now being raised after colouring it in this manner.”

While Manpreet Badal was not available for comments, Warring said: “If Bains has proof that I recommended someone, why doesn’t he show it? And if he does not have any proof then why is he alleging all this? The government should concentrate on recruiting and fulfil their promise instead of raising questions on recruitment of people appointed three years ago. And if there was a scam, why did they not raise it earlier? Harpal Cheema was the the LoP then. He should have raised it? Why now? Because they cannot handle issues like shortage of power and are unable to defend themselves for signing MoU with Arvind Kejriwal. Let them get this inquiry done. How will they divert the attention after nothing all come out of it?”

Ajaib Singh Bhatti said, “Whatever they will do will be acceptable to us.”