War of words erupts over dynastic politics
Wednesday, 28/05/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140528/punjab.htm#6
Chandigarh : Sukhpal Khaira, PPCC spokesman, today said that PM Narendra Modi had “encouraged” dynastic politics by inducting Harsimrat Badal in his Cabinet.
“Modi had during electioneering bitterly criticised Congress' dynastic politics, alleging this was weakening democracy. He would often term the UPA Government as 'maa-beta ki sarkar'. The people believed him and voted him to power. But he is now himself encouraging dynastic politics by inducting Harsimrat as Cabinet Minister,” Khaira alleged.
He said Harsimrat was the fifth member of the Badal clan to assume a powerful office. Khaira said Sher Singh Ghubhaya was a three-time MP, Prem Singh Chandumajra a two-time MP and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura had won by a margin of more than one lakh votes.
“Modi could have chosen any one of them for a Cabinet berth, but he succumbed to pressure from the powerful Badal-Majithia-Kairon clans and inducted Harsimrat as Cabinet Minister, which shows his weak will power,” Khaira alleged. Retaliating, senior Akali leaders said Khaira was “frustrated at his own failure in politics and blind to the faults of the Gandhi family and could not appreciate Harsimrat’s stellar performance” during her last stint as MP.
Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema said: "Prime minister Narendra Modi chose Harsimrat Badal as part of his team on the basis of her performance in Parliament as well as the work done by her in her constituency. During the past five years, Badal has emerged as the face of Punjab in the national Capital who successfully took up the issues of the state as well as those of the Sikh community in Parliament.” The leaders said Khaira himself was in politics because of his father.
On the earlier UPA dispensation, Grewal and Cheema said Modi had rightly called it a “maa-beta ki sarkar” as Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi “were running the government unilaterally as per their whims without holding any office.” They asked Khaira to explain if he had resigned as Congress spokesperson or not. “In case you have genuinely resigned, you must explain why you are still issuing press statements on behalf of the party,” the Akali leaders said.
