CHANDIGARH, Sept.11: In a hard-hitting statement, the Shiromani Akali Dal today asked the ghost writers for disgraced former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to at least keep the dignity of the House of the People — the Punjab Assembly – in mind while dipping their quills into poison of hate and meanness to drag the Akali Dal-BJP alliance into a matter which was in sole jurisdiction of the legislature and was taken up after a complaint from a senior Congress leader.
Taking strong exception to a statement issued by Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Singh today, Akali Dal spokesperson S.Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, General Secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal, said only utter disregard for the legislature could have prompted a statement that virtually accused the House, the Speaker, an all party Special Committee of the House and the standing of the Assembly as being held hostage to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
"May we remind the tail carriers of a disgraced MLA of the 13th Punjab Vidhan Sabha that the august House took up the matter only after Mr Bir Devinder Singh, hailed as the best Parliamentarian unanimously during the tenure of Amarinder Singh, took it up and pursued it logically," the spokesperson of the party said. He said if the best Parliamentarian now does not suit the Congress’ ends, it showed the party’s utter disregard for good legislative practices.
He decried the cheap attempts of a small bunch of Amarinder-followers to drag the legislature into partisan politics and said casting aspersions on the functioning of the House was virtually a contempt of the august institution. "Mind you that the people are watching. It is their House, and like all respected MLAs, Shri Harish Dhanda has certain privileges as a member of this House," the spokesperson said.
He said, "To denigrate an MLA because of an assignment that he takes up at the instance of the Speaker and as per the will of the House, and which he completes with the cooperation of the Leader of the Opposition, Congress MLA members of the probe committee and testimonies of officials and others in the face of persistent pressures from those involved in the land scam, is a direct insult to the people. Those who insult talent of elected representatives are doomed to find themselves sharing the fate of the arrogant."
As for the small time Congress leaders’ dare about Parliamentary elections, the Akali Dal spokesperson said the Congress party will be best advised to utilize the time till the polls to lick its wounds, ensure that someone made campaign committee chief at least knows how to keep his own seat by simply remaining honest and honour those within the party who have given clarion calls to bring out the truth.
"The decision about who will emerge the winner should ideally be made by the people of Punjab instead of those writing songs of praise of a disgraced CM."
He said calling the functioning of the House as circumventing the judicial process is a dangerous ploy of bringing two important pillars of the democracy, the legislature and the judiciary, into direct conflict. "We are sure the fourth pillar, the media in this country, is taking due notice. Amarinder and his ilk is free to criticize the executive, but to threaten journalists and newspapers with defamation cases, to insult the House by saying it is at the beck and call of a political party, or to bring the Assembly and judiciary into conflict is something that will not unpunished by the people. As for the action that such institutions may take to protect the interests and faith of the people, the Akali Dal and BJP retain the supreme faith in their
capacity to do so," he said