Dhillon and Majithia say if the Speaker does not do this the SAD shall bring forth a notice for his removal
Ask CM why he lied about SAD mlas not attending the session as he was following the same protocol as the SAD mlas had done
Chandigarh, August 29, 2020: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K P Singh to take note of the risk Congress legislator Kulbir Singh Zira had put chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and the entire Vidhan Sabha as well as facilitation of his illegal entry into the assembly by Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and recommend registration of a criminal case against both of them immediately.
Talking to newsmen here, SAD legislative group leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia said the SAD expected the Speaker to act in a totally unbiased manner keeping in view the rich traditions of the Vidhan Sabha. “However if he does not do this and plays a partisan role to justify the illegal acts of Zira as well as the unbecoming conduct of the Health minister who was supposed to guard COVID-19 protocols, the SAD will be constrained bring forth a notice for removal of the Speaker from his chair”.
Giving details of the case, Mr Sharanjit Dhillon and Mr Bikram Majithia said Kulbir Zira had been tested for COVID-19 on August 26 at Ferozepur and had recorded a positive test report. The leaders said instead of abstaining from attending the Vidhan Sabha session on August 28, Zira claimed Balbir Sidhu procured a COVID negative report for him on the morning of August 28 on the basis of which the mla attended the session. “Simultaneously the Health officials have gone on record to state that they informed the Health minister about Zira’s positive report on August 27. The Health minister has apparently violated the protocols of his own department and should be sacked and a criminal case should be registered against him”.
Speaking about the role of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh in the entire issue, the SAD leaders said the CM first gave a statement that SAD legislators who had come in contact with mla Gurpartap Wadala who had tested COVID positive should not attend the assembly session. “However on the day of the session the chief minister uttered a white lie saying the SAD mlas had deliberately not come to the session. We want to ask the chief minister why he is going into seven day quarantine after coming in contact with Kulbir Zira? Isn’t he following the same protocol which was followed by the SAD mlas? If yes why is he trying to befool the people with malicious lies?”
Mr Dhillon and Mr Majithia said the truth was that the Speaker as well as the chief minister did not want the Mission Fateh exercise to be exposed for what it was – a Mission Jhooth and a Mission Loot. “That is why both the Speaker and the chief minister adopted double standards by not preventing Congress legislators who had come into contact with their COVID positive colleagues from attending the session. This policy can have dangerous fallout with the 80 year old chief minister, who has co-morbidities, also being compromised. Who will be responsible if some untoward incident happens? The Speaker should take stern action against those responsible for this dangerous violation of health and safety protocols or be ready to be exposed in a no confidence motion”.
The SAD leaders wished good health to the chief minister besides appreciating the role of Congress legislator Pargat Singh who acted responsibly and abstained from the assembly session after a positive – negative flip flop in COVID-19 test results.