Punjab News Express/Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The leading English newspaper The Tribune which had carried reports of alleged involvement of former SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia in synthetic drug racket has apologized from the latter for falsly blaming him. The Tribue said there is no evidence of involvement of Bikram Singh Majithia in drug racket.
Bikram Majithia is brother of Union Food Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal who is married to SAD president and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
For many the apology printed by The Tribune was an astonishing development. Majithia had filed a defamation case against The Tribune for two reports carried by the newspaper on November 25, 2014 and March and March 11, 2015. As per The Tribune Apology printed on front page of issue dated October 29, 2017, all allegations unsubstantiated and incorrect. In first place can anybody expect such irresponsible reporting from a newspaper like The Tribune? If it has done so then it is big dent on the credibility of the newspaper. Another question arises, if The Tribnune has apologized, would other newspapers who blamed Majithia for running drug racket, also tender an apology or stand by their allegations.
The Tribune was a torch bearer for the nation and particularly for the people of Punjab. The pioneers like Prem Bhatia, Hari Jai Singh, H.K. Dua, and Raj Chengappa had remained Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group. Harish Khare former media advisor to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the present incumbent. What conspired behind the scene is anybody's guess but The Tribune seems to have steeped too low to compromise on principals. The central investigating agencies probing the matter have not yet given chit to Bikram Majithia though it is very unlikely having BJP in center and Capt Amarinder Singh in power that any evidence against Majithia will ever surface. He is innocent unless probed guilty or he is guilty unless probed innocent is question of law and morality.
The allegations of involvement in drug racket against Bikram Singh Majithia first came public when Punjab Police arrested a durg lord former cop Jagdish Bhola in drug case. During his hearing in Mohali court, Bhola named Bikram Majithia kingpin of the synthetic drug racket in Punjab while speaking to media outside court on January 6, 2014. It was headline in all newspapers next day. The issue was picked up by opposition parties to beat SAD-BJP alliance government headed by Parkash Singh Badal. Majithia was almost declared king of drug mafia.
The AAP focussed its election campaign in 2017 assembly poll on drug taint of Majithia besides curruption issue. Majithia is also contesting a defmation case against AAP leader, the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and party General Secreary Sanjay Singh in Amritsar court. The Congress had even won the elections blaming Majithia and other SAD leaders for running drug racket. Capt Amarinder Singh was able to defeat Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitly from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat on sole issue of Majithia's alleged involvement in drug racket.
It may be coincidence that two days before Tribune cane out with an apology, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has made a statement in Jalandhar that he knew Majithia is involved in drug racket but he cant act against him due to lack of evidence. For the sake of record, Capt Amarinder Singh had opposed CBI probe into drug racket when former PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa had approached Punjab and Haryana High Court. The bunch of petitions for CBI probe into the drug racket is still pending in the High Court. The stand taken by Capt Amarindser Singh had also attracted flak from AAP which blamed Capt Amarinder Singh for helping Bikram Majithia to go scot free.
The Tribune has glorious history of takning up public issues and SAD had lost elections in 2002 due to tirade launched by it against corruption and non-governance in Badal government.
The newspaper was founded on 2 February 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan), by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia. It has set many milestones in the field of journalism and became a habit of people of the region. The Tribune was first to report the news of execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in its edition of March 25, 1931. It was historic event and created history for The Tribune as well.
The Tribune had also faced wrath of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh who responded to an editorial published in this paper on May 19 with a "letter to the Editor", in which he states that "it is only a small section of the media and rival political parties that doubt our sincerity and commitment to fulfilling our poll promises.... While I am not a miracle maker, I have, in just two months of governance, set the ball rolling in the right direction to bring the beleaguered state back on the path to progress".
Amaridner wrote, " The Punjab situation, as it prevails today, requires not unwarranted criticism but collective thinking, with the media, a key contributor to shaping the state’s future. Unfortunately, the media, or at least a section of it, has adopted a confrontationist attitude, instead of supporting us in our difficult but concerted endeavour to clean up the widespread mess in the state".
Finally, Would Capt Amarinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu and many Congress MLA'S who were among front runners to link Majithia with drug syndicate also apologize after The Trubune comes on its knees.