Bajwa asks Badal to dismiss Maluka, indicted by central probe panel

Thursday, 18/07/2013

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/news/bajwa-asks-badal-to-dismiss-maluka-indicted-by-central-probe-panel/83059

CHANDIGARH: Partap Singh Bajwa President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) today demanded that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should dismiss his Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka after the latter was indicted in the inquiry constituted by the Central Government into the purchase of library books and science kits.

In a statement here today, Bajwa said that the central probe team has found Maluka guilty of misappropriation of funds given under the Sarv Sikhya Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). He said that the Punjab Congress had highlighted the misappropriation of central funds by the Education Minister and that their stand has been vindicated by the report of the probe panel...

Bajwa said that embezzlement of funds in purchase of library books and science kits was a blot on the face of the SAD-BJP government and the conduct of the Maluka was totally unbecoming of a cabinet minister. He said that if Maluka had any morality left in him, he would voluntarily step down from his post.

PPCC President said that the book scam has also unmasked the double face of Badal who did not practice what he preaches. Accusing Badal of being morally corrupt, Bajwa said that Chief Minister was shielding Maluka and other corrupt ministers in his cabinet. He said that earlier the Animal Husbandry Minister, Gulzar Singh Ranike who was patently guilty of embezzlement in border area development funds given by the Central Government was protected by  Badal and later given a clean chit by the Vigilance Bureau.

Bajwa said that the commission of inquiry ordered by Badal to probe charges against Maluka was a sham and that the one man commission has not started functioning even after two months of the scam being exposed. He said that the inquiry commission was set up only for face saving in order to diffuse the public pressure against Maluka. Further he said that the Congress party had held a series of protests against Maluka and the PPCC delegation had met Union HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju to seek an inquiry into unfair and corrupt practices of the Punjab Education Minister.

Bajwa said that the central probe panel has found that there was a loss of Rs 41.68 lakhs in the funds meant for purchase of textbooks and science kits, out of which as much as Rs 39.33 lakhs was paid to a single private book dealer, namely M/s Friends Enterprises, in an unauthorized manner. The books supplied by the dealer were neither age appropriate nor contained reading material fit for elementary-class level students.

Bajwa said that what has come out of the central probe was only the proverbial tip of the iceberg. He reiterated the demand for registration of a criminal case against Maluka and others involved in the books scam. On the basis of findings of the central probe panel an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High court should be set up probe the misuse of central funds and powers by the Education Minister.

The PPCC President said that Maluka was not only responsible for bungling in the SSA funds, he was also guilty of harassment and physical attack on  the Director General of School Education(DGSE), Kahan Singh Pannu during the rescue operations in Uttarakhand. He said that Pannu who is respected as an honest officer had opposed the misdeeds of Maluka and acted as a whistle blower to blow the lid off the book scam.  Bajwa said that  Maluka had no regrets for his misconduct but on the contrary is behaving in an irresponsible manner.

Bajwa said that Maluka was ruining the education culture in the state and his continuation as Education Minister is a matter of embarrassment for the teachers and students who have no recourse but to live with the tainted reputation of the minister.

The PPCC President also blamed  Maluka for being hand in glove with private companies which have taken hold of Adarsh Schools in the state. The government has given land and infrastructure to the private companies to run Adarsh Schools though in a reversal of the schools’ charter deserving students are not given admission. This is another scam in the making, he added.