Bolstered by HC order, SAD wants Khaira to resign

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 17

The dismissal of the writ petition of the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Sukhpal Khaira, in which he had sought the quashing of the summons issued by a Fazilka court in a 2015 drug-seizure case by the Punjab and Hrayana High Court has brought him in the line of fire.

Taking a dig at Sukhpal Khaira, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has demanded immediate resignation of Khaira.

Sukhbir Badal, who was in the city to attend a religious ceremony at the house of former Cabinet Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, said Khaira had been time and again pointing fingers at the Shiromani Akali Dal and its leaders, claiming that they were involved in the drug trade and now it had been found that he was not only involved in the drug trade but was the kingpin of a major drug racket. “Their chief Arvind Kejriwal is usually very vocal on all such issues. So, what keeps him quite now. He should throw Khaira out of the party to prove their stand against drugs,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Sukhbir went on to add that even Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was highly supportive of Khaira and it might be possible that he could ditch the Congress anytime. 

“Sidhu is very close to Khaira and the Bains brothers. Everyone knows about it. Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that he can turn the tables on the Congress and join the Aam Aadmi Party,” he added.  

Similarly, AAP’s suspended leader and Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi too has sought the resignation of Khaira on moral grounds. He said he had been waiting for the court orders and the High Court had found that the case should be pursued further. “The court has provided a foundation for pursuing the case further and in this case, Khaira should resign from the post of the Leader of the Opposition, keeping in mind the sanctity of the post,” he said. 

Dr Gandhi further questioned the silence of Arvind Kejriwal over the issue. He said Kejriwal had always maintained a silence whenever his leaders were found to be involved in different scams and this clearly showed that the party had drifted away from its ideals. “I doubt Kejriwal would ever raise the issue,” he added.