CHANDIGARH: A Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) delegation today submitted an objectionable video of Local Government minister Balkar Singh to Governor Banwarilal Purohit and urged him to mark an inquiry into the same from a central agency besides calling for the immediate dismissal of the minister from the State cabinet. It also urged the Governor to forbid Balkar Singh as well as all other AAP ministers accused of indulging in criminal activities from raising the national flag on Republic Day.
The delegation comprising senior leaders Bikram Singh Majithia and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema while appraising the Governor of the entire episode, also briefed him that chief minister Bhagwant Mann was supporting the minister and could not be trusted to deliver justice in the case. It also informed the Governor that the victim had been intimidated and suppressed due to which she had not come forward to register a case against the minister. “An independent probe coupled with the dismissal of the minister will alone pave the way for the truth to come out in the matter”, the delegation told the minister.
The SAD leaders also informed the minister about the manner in which a police clearance certificate was sourced recently to prevent the deportation of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Amarjit Sandoa from Canada. They said Sandoa, who had gone to attend the wedding of AAP leader Himmat Singh Shergill, was stopped for questioning by the Canadian authorities due to a sodomy complaint against him. They said Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Sandhwan had helped to source the police clearance certificate and facilitate Sandoa’s entry into Canada which had sent a wrong message of Punjab and its value systems across the globe. Urging the Governor to take action in the case, the leaders said the police clearance certificate issued to Sandoa should be withdrawn and he should be proceeded against as per law.
Mr Majithia and Dr Cheema also urged the Governor to forbid ministers Lal Chand Kataruchak and Aman Arora from unfurling the national flag on Republic Day. They said Kataruchak was accused of sodomy and even though the State Police had suppressed the case at the instance of the chief minister, anyone accused of such a heinous crime should be kept away from State functions where chief guests were looked upon as role models. They said Aman Arora had been awarded a two year conviction and as per Supreme Court guidelines should have been unseated immediately and should also not be allowed to unfurl the national flag on January 26.
Later talking to newsmen outside the Raj Bhawan, Mr Majithia while speaking about Balkar Singh said he had informed the chief minister three months back that he had an objectionable video of the minister and wanted to hand it over to him. “I even contacted the chief minister’s residence during a live press conference and was told that I would be connected to the chief minister but this did not happen”. He said following this, instead of taking action against Balkar Singh, “a vendetta exercise was initiated against me and when this did not succeed I was told that the accused would seek an apology for his acts”.
Stating that he was acting in public interest, Mr Majithia said “this is an issue of morality and ethics. The accused cannot go free after committing such heinous acts. Earlier an SIT formed to probe the sodomy case against Kataruchak gave a clean chit to the minister by stating that the complaint had been withdrawn. They may resort to the same tactics now and that is why we have urged the Governor to order an independent probe into the entire incident”. He also disclosed how Balkar Singh had earlier shown himself as disabled to secure a job as an Inspector for his son before being thwarted by the high court.