Punjab CM trashes AAP's accusation of vendetta in Khaira case

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today categorically rejected the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) allegation of vendetta behind the court proceedings against its MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
"The state government has no role to play in the matter and the summons issued to the Leader of Opposition (Khaira) in a drugs case is a court decision," he said here.
The Congress government did not believe in interfering in judicial matters and the judiciary had taken an independent decision to summon Khaira in the case, Singh said, adding that the judge's decision must have been based on certain facts.
The AAP MLAs today alleged that issuing summons to Khaira in the drugs case was a "classic case of a planned political vendetta".

Khaira had alleged that the court order was a "deep- rooted conspiracy" hatched by the Congress regime in the state to "intimidate and gag" the voices of its political opponents.
On October 31, a court in Fazilka had sent nine persons to jail in connection with a trans-border heroin smuggling racket case, which had surfaced in 2015.

On November 30, the court had summoned Khaira in connection with the case.
To a question on MP Partap Singh Bajwa's reported "unhappiness" with the Punjab Congress leadership and state government, Singh said he had no idea what grudges the former was harbouring.

There had been no problems between his government and any of the party leaders or MLAs, claimed the chief minister, expressing surprise at Bajwa's "inexplicable" behaviour.
The Congress, he said, was an open house where all the members were welcome to share any grievances or give any feedback.
However, it was difficult to guess what was on Bajwa's mind and what had prompted him to rush to the party high- command, as had been reported in a section of the media, Singh said.
Responding to questions on attempts by pro-Khalistani elements to disturb Punjab's peace and communal harmony, the chief minister alleged that Pakistan's ISI was continuously trying to revive terrorism in the state and asserted that his government would not allow it to succeed at any cost.

Singh said the draft Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA) legislation to give the security forces more teeth to tackle criminals, gangsters and radical forces was in the process of being finalised and added that the new law would soon be enacted to curb the incidents of crime and hatred.
On the issue of stubble-burning, he said his government was duty-bound to implement the law in this regard. However, he reiterated his stand on the urgent need to implement the Swaminathan Commission report and compensate the farmers for stubble management.
The central and state governments together needed to find ways of removing and disposing of the two crore tonnes of stubble, estimated to be generated during the paddy season, Singh added.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated a passport seva kendra here at the General Post Office to facilitate the passport services for the residents of Patiala and Sangrur.
The second such passport seva kendra in Punjab and the 59th in the country, the centre would initially accept 50 applications for issuance of fresh passports and re-issuance of passports on a daily basis, which would gradually be enhanced to 200, Singh announced.
The chief minister, who interacted with some of the applicants at the centre, said those who had already registered themselves for appointments at the regional passport offices (RPOs) in Chandigarh and Ambala could request for rescheduling their appointments at the Patiala Passport Seva Kendra.

The Tatkal, PCC and other miscellaneous services would, however, continue to be provided by the Chandigarh and Ludhiana RPOs, he added.