SAD leaders disrespected national anthem: Jakhar
Wednesday, 30/01/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130130/punjab.htm#2
Gurdaspur : The Congress has accused several SAD leaders of allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem during the Republic Day functions that they attended as chief guest.
SAD Ministers, a majority of whom flew in from New Delhi where they were canvassing for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections, hurriedly left their respective functions as they had to fly back to the National Capital. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, also the SAD president, had reportedly summoned a meeting of the party leaders at his Delhi residence at 7 pm on January 26, a day ahead of the gurdwara elections.
The Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Sunil Jakhar, claimed that the SAD Ministers ordered the Republic Day functions to be cut short so that they could reach Delhi on time. Moreover, these leaders had to touch down in Delhi between 12 pm and 2 pm, after which the aviation authorities had denied them the permission to land.
Jakhar has asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to offer an apology to the nation for the “lapse”.
In Gurdaspur, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa allegedly forced the district administration to curtail the function so that he could drive to Rajasansi airport to be on board Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia’s plane, which later flew both of them to Delhi. Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha, however, denied any wrongdoing by Dhindsa. But, other senior officers confirmed that the Minister asked for the felicitation ceremony, which normally takes place at the fag end of the event, to be pre-poned.
During such functions, the national anthem is sung twice: once at the beginning and the second time after the ceremony concludes. In this case, the Minister skipped the national anthem that was sung after the proceedings had ended. After presiding over the felicitation ceremony, he left the function midway, much before the cultural items by school students were presented.
Parliamentary Secretaries Pawan Kumar Tinu, Des Raj Dhugga and Virsa Singh Valtoha also “fast forwarded” functions at their respective venues to ensure that they could land in Delhi before the 7 pm meeting.
Jakhar said: “The SAD Ministers violated the constitutional norms by leaving their respective venues before the national anthem was to be sung.”
