One identify that got here up repeatedly throughout AICC chief Rahul Gandhi’s conferences with Punjab Congress leaders was that of SAD chief Bikram Singh Majithia.
In accordance with sources, Congress leaders from Majha area informed Rahul Gandhi that Majitha nonetheless loved important energy in Majha regardless of Capt Amarinder Singh being the Chief Miniser and social gathering being in energy for over 4 years.
Congress had swept Majha area in 2017 by successful 22 out of 25 seats. SAD might win solely two seats within the Panthic belt.
Sources mentioned that Majha leaders talked about that they felt embarrassed that regardless of Congress gunning for Majithia and accusing him of allegedly aiding drug mafia within the run as much as the 2017 polls, the social gathering’s authorities couldn’t show a single cost in opposition to him.
Defined
Who’s Bikram Singh Majithia?
In a rally held in Majha’s Baba Bakala on August 19, 2016, Amarinder had mentioned: “I’ll throw Bikram Singh Majithia behind bars if Congress varieties the federal government in 2017. I don’t know the way Majithia sleeps at evening. All of the border villages are within the grip of medication.”
Comparable statements had been made by Amarinder throughout virtually each rally in Majha.
Congress leaders from the area who spoke to The Indian Categorical mentioned that they’ve misplaced face in Majha as Majithia continues to affect police and native administration on this area.
“Majithia nonetheless threatens officers and a few weak officers come underneath his stress. There isn’t a doubt that he nonetheless has affect,” mentioned newly appointed Chairman PUNGRAIN and veteran Congress chief from Majha area, Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia.
Lali had unsuccessfully contested in opposition to Bikram Singh Majithia on Congress ticket in 2017. He remained low profile after his defeat until he was out of the blue made chairman PUNGRAIN final week amid ongoing disaster throughout the Congress.
Sources mentioned that CM appointed Lali as chairman to dilute the allegations that CM is mushy on Bikram Singh Majithia and that it has harm social gathering.
Talking on allegations in opposition to Majitha, Lali mentioned, “It’s true that thus far no motion has been taken in opposition to Majithia. However you may even see motion within the coming days. Eight months of our authorities are nonetheless pending. Sooner or later is sufficient in politics to vary issues. I don’t know the way he escaped motion. Allow us to see. It isn’t that Capt Amarinder Singh is saving him. CM needs to have stable proof to take motion. There’s a distinction in public notion and legislation level.”
He added: “Round 400 false instances had been filed in opposition to Congress staff solely in Majitha constituency. I’m not conscious what number of false instances are nonetheless pending. Authorities had shaped Justice (Retd) Mehtab Gill Fee to cope with false instances. However a lot of the Congress staff didn’t strategy the fee. Second, many staff had been acquitted by courts as instances had been false. One false case continues to be pending in opposition to me. One false case every in opposition to my two nephews underneath critical expenses of homicide and kidnapping are pending.”
On what modified for Congress staff in Majitha after formation of Congress authorities, Lali mentioned, “It’s a huge factor that now no false instances are being slapped.”
Congress MLA from Khemkaran, Sukhpal Bhullar, mentioned, “It’s on report of Justice Mehtab Singh Fee that the majority false instances had been registered in opposition to Congress staff throughout Akali rule had been in Khemkaran constituency. These instances had been registered on the behest of Bikram Singh Majithia. Our staff suffered for 10 years. I grew to become MLA and Capt Amarinder Singh grew to become Chief Minister all due to atrocities confronted by Congress staff throughout SAD rule. These staff would stand by the social gathering in future too. It’s a completely different problem whether or not they had been heard or not in authorities workplaces.”
On Majitha, he mentioned, “All of us are questioning how Majithia continues to be influencing the administration. This problem is of the CM’s degree. Now we have repeatedly made CM privy to it. We share equal blame if there was no motion in opposition to Majitha for the allegations that had been levelled earlier than elections. Each youngster is aware of that every one allegations in opposition to Majitha are true….Forms has destroyed all the things. MLAs and ministers are crying, then what energy does a Congress sarpanch or employee get pleasure from?”
A Congress minister from Majha, who didn’t want to be named, mentioned, “Majithia loved full energy throughout 10-year rule of Shiromani Akali Dal. He was instrumental in implicating Congress staff in false instances throughout Majha. Captain Amarinder Singh promised to place Majithia behind bars virtually in each rally in Majha earlier than 2017. However now Bikram Singh Majithia is without doubt one of the cleanest politicians within the state. All due to Capt Amarinder Singh. But it surely has disheartened each Congress employee in Majha. Apart from, many instances filed through the SAD tenure in opposition to Congress staff nonetheless pending. If energy in Majha has to stick with Bikram Singh Majithia with Captain as CM then why ought to we help Captain within the ongoing disaster.”
Former Punjab Congress president and MP Partap Singh Bajwa mentioned, “No matter is the place about Majithia in present situation, its duty lies with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He needed to take name on it. It was his promise that sacrilege instances and matter associated to drug mafia will likely be taken care of.”
He added, “Each minister, MLA and MP has raised two problem. One is sacrilege and different about political leaders and policemen, who had been accountable for the drug smuggling and operating each type of mafia within the state. Investigation performed by high law enforcement officials Siddharth Chattopadhyaya and Harpreet Sidhu into drug smuggling instances ought to be made public. Why these envelopes are nonetheless sealed?”
Bajwa mentioned, “Over the past 4 years, Congress staff by no means felt that their social gathering’s authorities was in energy. They’re demoralised and disillusioned.”
