Capt govt restores beacons, then orders removal again

Chandigarh, March 28

The Punjab Government today hastily withdrew what it claimed was an “erroneously” issued order allowing beacons on vehicles of Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers. 

In the order issued by the Transport Department this evening, vehicles of the CM, ministers along with emergency vehicles were allowed the use of beacons. 

The order was contradictory to the decision taken in the March 18 Cabinet meeting that CM Capt Amarinder Singh and his ministers had given up red beacons, as part of shunning the VIP culture. Within a few hours of the orders going viral on social media, the state government withdrew the order, citing an error on part of the department while copying a part of the party’s poll manifesto.

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Capt Amarinder denied any change in his government’s stand on shunning the VIP culture. He directed the Chief Secretary to have the correct notification sent to him for immediate issuance, said a spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the Opposition questioned as to how such an important order could have been issued in such a cursory manner. — TNS