Indiscipline won’t be tolerated: SAD disciplinary panel chief Sikander Maluka
Chandigarh, August 19
Shiromani Akali Dal’s disciplinary committee chief Sikander Singh Maluka on Friday said indiscipline won’t be tolerated by the party at any cost and those found indulging in it will have to face strict action.
The warning came amid rumblings for a change in the leadership of the party following its humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls earlier this year.
Currently, the SAD is led by former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and the party had asked its leaders not to question his authority.
Maluka issued the warning during the party’s disciplinary committee meeting, which was attended by SAD leaders Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Mantar Singh Brar and Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi.
“In the meeting, the issue of maintaining discipline was considered seriously and it was decided that this disciplinary committee won’t tolerate indiscipline at any cost and those indulging in indiscipline will have to face strict action,” said a statement quoting Maluka.
Maluka said no institution can progress without discipline and whosoever will speak against the party with intention of weakening it, won’t be tolerated at all.
He also appealed to district and circle units of the outfit that if any anti-party activity comes into their notice, then they should bring it to the notice of the party head office at Chandigarh with proof so that action could be taken against those responsible.
Last week, the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal had authorised party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to take steps to strengthen the outfit and maintain inner-party discipline.
A week ago, a SAD statement had said a conspiracy is afoot to destabilise regional parties, asking party leaders to desist from questioning Badal’s authority or face disciplinary action.
Sukhbir Badal had on August 12 addressed two marathon meetings of constituency incharges and the working committee separately during which SAD leaders asserted that anyone breaching party discipline should be dealt with sternly.
Last month, the SAD leadership was left red-faced after Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali went against his own party by boycotting the presidential poll, saying issues related to Punjab remain unresolved and he was not consulted by his party leadership before deciding to back NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Ayali had sought the implementation of the recommendations of the Jhundan panel earlier constituted by the party and had even spoken about a change in its leadership.
The Jhundan panel was formed to analyse the reasons for the party’s humiliating defeat in the Punjab assembly polls.
On July 28, Badal had dissolved the entire organisational structure of the party in pursuance of the recommendations of the 13-member committee.
