Captain warns Badal against pushing Punjab into constitutional crisis

Saturday, 26/07/2014

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=111696&boxid=58923&uid=&dat=2014-07-26

Amritsar : Congress Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh warned Parkash Singh Badal against pushing Punjab into a constitutional crisis not only by abdicating his authority and responsibility as a chief minister of the state, but also building up an explosive situation that has the potential to explode, all this just to satisfy his personal ego and vested interests.

“Chief ministers’ are expected to adopt the constitutional means and methods and not resort to extra-constitutional blackmail which Badal was trying to thrust,” he remarked, while referring to the protest Badal was planning to lead against the setting up of a separate HSGMC.

Asserting that Badal was trying to force Shiromani Akali Dal against the Haryana Sikhs, Capt Amarinder questioned the very logic of his protest against the HSGMC saying it was the part of Congress manifesto in 2004 and 2009 in response to the demand made by the Sikhs there. He said that it was wrong to drag anybody like Congress president Sonia Gandhi into the issue.

“Better you be cautious that in the mad pursuit of seeking the dismissal of Haryana government you may end up forcing your alliance partners to consider the dismissal of your own government as they (the NDA) also don’t seem to be happy about the way you were trying to push the state towards anarchy and chaos,” he warned Badal, while asking him to give up his childish intransigence and reconsider his congregation in the interest of peace in the state.

“Chief Ministers’ are better seen governing and running the administration and not running away from it,” he told Badal while asserting that he (Badal) was actually trying to abdicate his authority and run away from his responsibilities as he had apparently realised that the situation in the state was beyond his control.

Capt Amarinder said that there was a sense of unease, uncertainty, fear and panic among the people the way situation was being built up by Badal in Amritsar. “People have started relating these developments to what happened during early 80s that pushed Punjab into a dark decade which only saw the indiscriminate killings of Punjabis,” he warned while suggesting to Badal to adopt constitutional means than adopting a intransigent extra-constitutional ways.

Referring to the planned Sunday congregation, Capt Amarinder asked Badal, “Do you take the responsibility about what would happen there or you would behave as you always have been by provoking and pushing people into the problem and running yourself away.” He pointed out, “Imagine if any untoward incident occurs, will police be able to act against the chief minister who happens to be the effective head of the state at the forefront of the protest.”