Sidhu's adviser resigns; Punjab Cong prez says he can't be dummy chief
Darpan News Desk IANS, 27 Aug, 2021 11:06 AM
Chandigarh, Aug 27 (IANS) Punjab Congress President Navjot Sidhu's controversial adviser Malwinder Mali resigned on Friday, a day after AICC general secretary Harish Rawat asked for the advisers' resignations saying their stands were unacceptable to the Congress.
Interestingly, the resignation comes in the wake of Sidhu telling the party High Command that, "I can't be dummy chief".
Reacting to Sidhu's assertion, Rawat said, "Who says he is."
Speaking at a party function in Amritsar city, Sidhu said "if he is allowed to work according to his own policy of hope and faith, he will ensure Congress rule in the state for 20 years".
"But if you don't allow me to take decisions, then I can't help anything," Sidhu said without mincing words.
Speaking about the Punjab model Sidhu said, "Punjab model means people make policies for trade, industry and power. Giving power of people back to the people."
The power struggle between Sidhu and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is on as the latter's confidante and Cabinet minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi hosted a dinner at his residence here on Thursday.
A total of 58 MLAs and eight MPs attended the dinner and expressed their confidence that the party would win the 2022 polls under the leadership of Amarinder Singh.
"The journey has started today," Sodhi informed in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Sidhu's advisor Mali in a statement after his resignation said, "Anti-Sikh forces that can't tolerate the emerging Punjab model, issue-based and solution-based politics of transparency and accountability, which has dawned in the backdrop of the long-drawn peaceful 'kisan andolan', have a nefarious design to derail the dialogue process that has started taking shape."
He alleged a hateful campaign had been launched against him by political leaders -- Amarinder Singh, Vijay Inder Singla, Manish Tiwari (Congress); Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Majithia (Akali Dal); BJP secretary Subhash Sharma and Raghav Chadda of the AAP.
Mali said these politicians would be responsible if any harm comes to him.
Mali had triggered a controversy over his provocative social media post on Kashmir.
Taking strong exception to the patently anti-national and pro-Pak comments of two of Sidhu's aides, a group of Punjab Congress ministers and MLA had called for strong action under the law against Mali and Pyare Lal Garg.
The statements of both these newly appointed advisors of Sidhu were clearly against India's interests, and detrimental to national security, said ministers Brahm Mohindra, Vijay Inder Singla, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Balbir Singh Sidhu and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, along with MLA Raj Kumar Verka.
Besides stringent legal action against them, they had also urged the Congress national leadership to direct Sidhu to immediately rein in his aides in the interest of the party as well as the country.
Of them, 2,35,768 challans were issued to those not wearing a mask, 28,539 to those found violating social distancing norms, 1,415 for consumption of liquor, pan, gutka, etc, 1463 for holding large public gatherings or congregations and 1,460 for spitting, the data showed.
The meeting comes in wake of some "rebel" MLAs seeking time from Sonia Gandhi to press for removal of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, even as state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu is not letting up on attacks against the Chief Minister.
Aimed at better future planning and growth, keeping in tune with climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is developing the Climate Action Plan to be completed after public consultation in two months' time.
In line with this strategy Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the state government on the farmers' issue and said that 'the electricity rates for the farmers have increased many times, diesel rates have hiked over 100 times but there has been no increase in the rates of sugarcane'.
Indian World Forum President Puneet Singh has appealed to the Taliban to facilitate an early departure of the Afghan Hindu and Sikh pilgrims in the interest of humanity.
The victim, who was identified as Sandeep Bhati, was in his Hyundai Verna along with three friends when the incident took place around 5 a.m., according to the police. He is learnt to be critical and undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Noida.
