Cong gags leaders after Akali Dal’s pro-radical barb

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24

The Congress today gagged all Punjab leaders except the top three from speaking on serious political issues and said they had not been authorised by the party to talk out of turn.

In a strongly worded letter to state president Partap Bajwa, Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab Shakeel Ahmad today said only three party leaders in Punjab had the permission to articulate the Congress point of view on major matters. These leaders are Bajwa, Capt Amarinder Singh and Sunil Jakhar.

The move comes after some out-of-line statements by local Congress leaders on the ongoing resurgence of radicals in the state and the recent congregation of Sarbat Khalsa around incidents of sacrilege and consequent firing on protesters killing two persons.

Sukhpal Khaira had, for instance, condemned the arrest of pro-Khalistan leader Simranjit Singh Mann and other leaders by the state police after the organisation of Sarbat Khalsa. The matter was not taken lightly by party leadership in Punjab and they flagged it to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

Ahmad today issued a “gag” order (The Tribune has a copy) which read: “It has come to my knowledge that a lot of sensitive issues are raised in the media from time to time. It is my view that the party must have a consistent stand on these issues and different people talking differently is not in party’s interest. Therefore, it has been decided at the highest level that Bajwa, Amarinder and Jahkar are the only three leaders who would be authorised to take consistent political line on relevant issues in the state.”

Khaira had opposed the arrest of Mann and others on grounds that it amounted to police repression and a violation of fundamental rights.

The Congress in Punjab, however, at no cost wants to be viewed speaking for secessionists or radicals especially after Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal recently accused the Congress of being an anti-national party and of siding with the radicals. Sukhbir openly charged Rahul Gandhi with fomenting trouble in the state and playing along pro-Sarbat Khalsa organisers who shared stage with two Congress leaders Ramanjit Sikki and Inderjit Zira.

Even within the Punjab Congress, a section of leaders have been seeking a meeting to discuss the issue and want action against Sikki and Zira. Some leaders have even asked Bajwa to call a meeting to debate Sukhbir's charges.

Who is party’s voice

In a letter to state president Partap Bajwa, Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab Shakeel Ahmad on Tuesday said only three party leaders in Punjab have the permission to articulate the Congress point of view on major matters. These leaders are Bajwa, Capt Amarinder Singh and Sunil Jakhar. The move comes after some out-of-line statements were made by local Congress leaders on the ongoing unrest in the state

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