SAD dubs Chugh's demand for Majithia's resignation 'violation of coalition dharma'

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has hit back at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Tarun Chugh over his repeated assertion that Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia should quit the Cabinet.

SAD spokesman Maheshinder Singh Grewal alleged that Chugh's comment was uncalled for and violated the coalition protocol.

"It is an established convention that a person holding a constitutional post can be asked to resign only if he has been convicted by a court of law. Mere summons for questioning by a central agency can never be ground for demanding anyone's resignation," he said.

Responding to a query on Majithia being summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Chugh had earlier said that ministers occupying important posts should first tender their resignations and then appear before the investigating agency.

"The BJP has not taken a U-turn on the matter," he said.

The BJP leader had while referring to former minister Swaran Singh Phillaur's resignation on similar grounds said that there should not be different yardsticks for different individuals.

"Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should apply the same formula to Majithia and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander," he said.