Punjab Congress MLA Pargat Singh alleges threat call from CM's adviser for raising voice on sacrilege, police firing cases

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 17

The crisis in the Punjab Congress has deepened further with Jalandhar Cant MLA Pargat Singh on Monday alleging that Capt Sandeep Sandhu, political secretary to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, threatened him of a police case for raising voice against the CM on the issue of sacrilege and police firing.

Also read: Capt Amarinder 'baiter' Punjab minister Channi faces trouble in over 2-yr-old woman IAS officer harassment case

Addressing a press conference, Pargat Singh alleged the political secretary, while conveying the message of the Chief Minister last week, said he should be ready to face action.

“Being a former captain of the Indian hockey team, I was shocked to have got such a message. But if speaking truth on sacrilege and police firing cases was not acceptable to them, let them do whatever then want,” said the MLA.

Capt Sandeep Sandhu did not respond to calls to know his version to the allegation levelled against him by the MLA. There has also been no reaction from the Chief Minister's office so far. 

Pargat Singh was among those participating in a meeting of MLAs and ministers to pressurise the Chief Minister to act against the perpetrators of sacrilege and police firing cases. He had held a

meeting with ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa, Charanjit Channi, MP Partap Bajwa and MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu among others on the issue.

He alleged other MLAs and ministers too were being arm-twisted as senior adviser to the CM, BIS Chahal was the de facto DGP, Vigilance. “If Vigilance has to do something, it should take irrigation scam involving an XEN to its logical conclusion. But efforts are being made to save the big fish,” he said, alleging other cases were not being probed by the Vigilance.

Pargat Singh said being a former hockey player, his efforts were always to work as a team for the betterment of Punjab, but discussing important issues was now being taken as a "rebellion". 

He said he was left with no option, but to raise voice. He said the party high command should have taken note of the issue.

Congress MP Partap Bajwa also reacted to the developments. "Would have been pleasing to the eyes and ears of Punjabi's had the Vigilance knocked at the doors of Badal’s for their acts of omission & commission from 2007- 2017 . Sudden spurt against Sidhu and colleagues is ill advised, ill timed & detrimental to interest of the Congress.'' he said.