Democracy in danger if CM gives such statements: Union Minister Shekhawat on Bhagwant Mann-Governor spat

Aparna Banerji

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Jalandhar, February 20

Stepping up pressure on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his spat with state Governor Banwalilal Purohit, Union Cabinet Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today said if heads of states start giving this kind of statements against governors, then democracy is in danger.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Shekhawat said, “If the Governor is asking for a reply from the government, it is the government’s responsibility to issue a response. There cannot be a more irresponsible statement by a CM than ‘I won’t reply to the Governor, I will reply to the people’. If the chief of a constitutionally elected body in the state starts giving statements like these, ‘to main samajhta hun, loktantra khatre mein hai’ (I believe democracy is in danger). It is his responsibility to act as per the Constitution.”

Shekhawat’s criticism came on the issue of CM Bhagwant Mann’s reply to the state Governor’s question regarding selection of school principals for foreign tour.

The union minister also said that Punjab, which was identified as the land of Gurus and freedom fighters once upon a time is today identified with “chitta” and “gangsters”.

“Today chitta (heroin) is becoming the identity of the state. You take the name of Punjab, people think of chitta. They associate the names of gangsters with Punjab. Lakhs of people think of Punjab with reverence in the country. But today they are worried and anxious. The state has got such a casual government which has neither vision nor a clear intention to work. The casual approach can harm the state-the consequences of which we can see today,” he said.

He added that though the BJP might have won few seats in the previous elections, people have again begun placing their faith in the party, fed up with the present government.

Speaking on drugs being pushed into state through drones from Pakistan side, he said, “That’s a definite challenge. But the central government is all for increased border surveillance and has also started decisive work to curb such anti-national activities at the borders.”

Speaking on the issue of Sikh prisoners, Sekhawat said, “The PM had issued a notification for nine such people who had completed their prison terms. Process of release of two is ongoing in court. I have been talking on the issue for a year – I request that a list of such prisoners be provided to us. The SGPC hasn’t provided us with a list yet.”

When questioned on Sidhu Moosewala’s father’s demand for the arrest of the murder kingpin, the minister said, “Law and order is a state issue. Let the state police doit. If they think they can’t, then I’ll request you to ask them to get the case transferred to the CBI. So far all prominent arrests in the case have been made by the Delhi police, which works under the central government.”