News Analysis India

Tag: Amrinder Singh Raja Warring

  • Punjab Congress chief urges CM Mann to consider release of Navjot Sidhu from jail

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday appealed to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to consider early release of Navjot Singh Sidhu who is serving a year-long sentence in Patiala central prison in a 1988 road rage death case.

    The appeal comes a day after the Punjab Cabinet approved a proposal of granting special remission to five convicts serving terms in jails. However, the name of Sidhu does not figure in the list.

    “I appeal to Chief Minister @BhagwantMann Sahab to consider the early release of senior @INCIndia leader @sherryontopp Navjot Singh Sidhu Ji also. Matters of justice should be treated above the partisan divide,” Warring tweeted.

    There had been speculations that Sidhu might be granted special remission on Republic Day.

    Several Punjab Congress leaders, including former Punjab Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, had last month lambasted the AAP government for not releasing Sidhu.

    On May 20 last year, Sidhu, the former Punjab Congress chief, was jailed following his surrender before a court in Patiala after he was sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment by the Supreme Court.

    The top court had, in its order, said any sympathy in imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law.

    Though the court had in May 2018 held Sidhu guilty of “voluntarily causing hurt” to the man, it had spared him a jail term and imposed on him a fine of Rs 1,000.

    The Punjab Cabinet on Friday gave approval for sending the case of special remission to convicts confined in jails of Punjab in the second phase to commemorate the 75th Independence Day of the country being celebrated as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

    Similarly, a green signal was also given for sending the cases seeking the premature release of life convicts confined in the jails of the state.

    After the Cabinet’s nod under Article 163 of the Constitution of India, these special remission/premature release cases will be submitted to Punjab Governor under Article 161 of the constitution, an official statement said.

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday appealed to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to consider early release of Navjot Singh Sidhu who is serving a year-long sentence in Patiala central prison in a 1988 road rage death case.

    The appeal comes a day after the Punjab Cabinet approved a proposal of granting special remission to five convicts serving terms in jails. However, the name of Sidhu does not figure in the list.

    “I appeal to Chief Minister @BhagwantMann Sahab to consider the early release of senior @INCIndia leader @sherryontopp Navjot Singh Sidhu Ji also. Matters of justice should be treated above the partisan divide,” Warring tweeted.

    There had been speculations that Sidhu might be granted special remission on Republic Day.

    Several Punjab Congress leaders, including former Punjab Congress chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, had last month lambasted the AAP government for not releasing Sidhu.

    On May 20 last year, Sidhu, the former Punjab Congress chief, was jailed following his surrender before a court in Patiala after he was sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment by the Supreme Court.

    The top court had, in its order, said any sympathy in imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law.

    Though the court had in May 2018 held Sidhu guilty of “voluntarily causing hurt” to the man, it had spared him a jail term and imposed on him a fine of Rs 1,000.

    The Punjab Cabinet on Friday gave approval for sending the case of special remission to convicts confined in jails of Punjab in the second phase to commemorate the 75th Independence Day of the country being celebrated as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

    Similarly, a green signal was also given for sending the cases seeking the premature release of life convicts confined in the jails of the state.

    After the Cabinet’s nod under Article 163 of the Constitution of India, these special remission/premature release cases will be submitted to Punjab Governor under Article 161 of the constitution, an official statement said.

  • AAP government’s proposed temporary committee ‘unconstitutional’: Punjab Congress

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday dubbed the decision of the AAP-led regime in the state to set up a temporary committee to advise the government on matters of public importance as ‘unconstitutional’.

    He also questioned the decision of the state government to form this committee.

    The AAP-led government in Punjab has decided to set up a temporary committee to advise the government on matters of public importance pertaining to public administration.

    “The Chief Minister has undertaken a review of the working of government at various levels and is of the view that a body (temporary in nature) is required to tender advice to the government of Punjab on matters of public importance pertaining to public administration,” as per a government notification issued by Chief Secretary V K Janjua.

    The temporary and ad hoc committee comprising a chairman and members will not be entitled to any compensation, remuneration or perks of any kind or nomenclature in respect of such appointment, it further said.

    Speaking to the reporters here on Saturday, Punjab Congress chief Warring dubbed the state government’s move as “unconstitutional”.

    “It is unconstitutional,” said Warring.

    Warring said besides the Chief Minister, there are 14 Cabinet ministers in the AAP government.

    “Then what is the need for this committee,” he asked while stating that there were strong apprehensions among people that the Mann-led government would be made subordinate to the proposed committee.

    Warring said, “If the CM needs a technical advisor, he can rope in. But I think there is no need for constituting this committee. It (the decision) is taken only to impress the party leaders sitting in Delhi.”

    Taking a dig at the Mann-led government, Warring said already the decisions taken by the AAP leaders in Delhi were being implemented in Punjab.

    Warring also recalled a knowledge-sharing agreement signed between Punjab and Delhi governments in April.

    The MoU was signed by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Singh Mann, enabling the two AAP governments to send and receive officials, ministers and other personnel to learn and share their knowledge, experience and skills for public welfare.

    Replying to a question on the arrest of Congress leader Ashu Banger, Warring called it a “political vendetta”.

    He claimed the Moga police lodged a case against Banger without receiving any complaint.

    Banger, who had joined the Congress after quitting the AAP before the 2022 state assembly polls, was arrested on the charge of forgery on Friday.

    He was accused of running a racket of providing fake experience and employment certificates to people for immigration purposes.

    Several Congress leaders even staged a protest outside the Moga police station against the arrest of Banger.

    Replying to a question on the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala, Warring said that his family has still not got justice despite more than a month had passed since the singer’s killing.

    Moosewala was killed by unidentified assailants on May 29 in Mansa.

  • Sangrur bypoll: Punjab Congress chief Warring endorses economist’s suggestion of electing Sidhu Moose Wala’s father unopposed

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday endorsed the suggestion of electing slain singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s father unopposed from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

    Noted economist Sardara Singh Johal has suggested that Moose Wala’s father, Balkaur Singh, should be elected unopposed from the Sangrur seat.

    The seat fell vacant after Bhagwant Mann contested and won from Dhuri assembly segment in the 2022 assembly elections.

    Mann, who at present is the Punjab Chief Minister, had won from Sangrur parliamentary seat in 2014 and 2019.

    Polling for the seat will be held on June 23 while counting will take place on June 26.

    On May 29, Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified men in Punjab’s Mansa district.

    On his Facebook page, Johal termed the famous singer’s killing “very unfortunate and painful.”

    “The society lost a forceful and popular voice. It is a cultural loss.Yet the loss for the parents is unimaginable and cannot be compensated,” he said.

    Offering his condolences to Moose Wala’s parents, Johal said, “I feel it may be a bit consoling if the father of Sidhu Moose Wala is elected in the by-election to the Parliament from Sangrur constituency unopposed.”

    Warring endorsed Johal’s views.

    “Nothing can compensate Sidhu Moose Wala’s loss to his parents. Dr SS Johl (sic) has suggested his father Balkaur Singh Ji be fielded as consensus candidate for Sangrur bypoll & he gets elected unopposed. I endorse it. Hope all other parties agree. Let’s put politics of oneupmanship aside,” Warring said in a tweet.

    Former AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhi also concurred with the view.

    “Agree with Sardara Singh Johal, provided family agrees. Some purpose to live it will be for devastated family,” said Sandhu in a tweet.

    The two leaders’ statements came on the day when the ruling AAP announced the name of its candidate for the Sangrur seat bypoll.

    Mann announced Gurmail Singh, in-charge of Sangrur district, as the candidate for the June 23 bypoll.