Sarwan Singh Phillaur resigns as Punjab Cabinet Minister

He resigned "on moral grounds" following recent reports of alleged involvement of a family member in drug trade

Punjab Cabinet Minister for Jails, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Sarwan Singh Phillaur submitted his resignation from the Council of Ministers "on moral grounds" following recent reports of alleged involvement of a family member in drug trade today.

Phillaur submitted his resignation following "some adverse though false and misleading reports in a section of the press against a member of his family", an official release said here.

The minister submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in New Delhi. Badal was in the national capital on his way to Ahmedabad for attending the swearing in ceremony of new Gujarat Chief Minister.

In his resignation, Phillaur said: "Although the media reports in question have no basis in truth and are totally false and grossly misleading, yet I am resigning from the Council of Ministers on moral grounds to uphold the highest traditions of our party, the Shiromani Akali Dal."

He said that he had taken decision for maintaining complete transparency and accountability, and also "to keep up my own impeccable record of personal and professional honesty and integrity in my long political career."

The release said the minister also told the Chief Minister that he was a strong votary of social and political uprightness and transparency and had always conducted himself with dignity and decorum in his long career spanning nearly four decades.

Phillaur also emphasised that he had always practised what he described as "principled and value based politics, which was the hall mark of Akali politics.