Gag order for Punjab AAP leaders; Dr Gandhi skips meet
Tuesday, 07/04/2015
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SAS NAGAR: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has told its leaders in Punjab that they’d face action if they took their disagreements with the leadership to the media or social media.
AAP national spokesperson Sanjay Singh issued a statement on Monday that the decision was for leaders specifically. “Those making anti-party comments will have to face action,” he said during a meeting at party’s state head office here. This decision seems to be fallout of the decision of Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi to support sacked AAP founding member Yogendra Yadav.
Dr Gandhi was not at the meeting. Sanjay Singh and the other MPs maintained a silence on his absence and announced no action against him. The spokesman, though, said that the leaders holing parallel meetings will be dealt with seriously. All the 22 district conveners at the meeting were warned against offending the party and encouraging factionalism.
They had gathered to discuss how to strengthen the party’s organisational base in Punjab for the 2017 assembly elections. From May 15 to 30, the AAP will hold a “Beimaan Bhagao, Punjab Bachao’ (chase away the corrupt, save Punjab) Yatra in Punjab. “Punjab has become the home of drug mafia and corruption,” said Sanjay Singh.
The leaders also criticised PM Narendra Modi and the policies of his government. “On April 22, we’ll hold a rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the land acquisition bill, where farmers from Punjab will join us,” said the AAP national spokesman.
On the likelihood of Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira’s joining the AAP, he said: “We still haven’t decided. Whoever comes cannot bargain for ticket.”
