Punjab AAP questions Akali Dal, Congress, BJP on silence over woman’s allegations

Chandigarh, Sep 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Wednesday questioned the continued silence of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, Congress leaders Partap Singh Bajwa and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, as well as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, over the allegations surrounding the woman and the case registered in this connection.

He said that while these leaders remained active in rallies and political programmes, they had not come forward to answer the questions being raised about the incident.

Pannu told the media here that the Akali Dal, the Congress as well as BJP leaders should answer the questions being raised about this matter.

"They remain active in rallies and political programmes, but when it comes to answering questions about the FIR and the woman's stay in the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)-run sarai, they maintain silence."

"Why are Congress and BJP representatives not even participating in television debates on this issue? If they have nothing to hide and believe they have answers to the questions being raised across Punjab, they should come forward and answer them," he said.

The AAP leader added that SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami appeared after nearly a month, but instead of facing the media and answering questions, he issued a video statement.

"The question is simple: Why did Dhami not come before journalists and answer the questions being raised on the issue."

He said that Dhami should also disclose how many gurdwaras under the SGPC have put up boards concerning people who have been excommunicated.

"He (Harjinder Singh Dhami) should also answer the questions surrounding the incident at the sarai in Sri Anandpur Sahib."

Quoting the first information report (FIR), the AAP leader said that Akali Dal leader Amarjit Singh Chawla is an accused in the case.

"The public wants to know how a woman could stay in an SGPC-run sarai for more than six months. Who arranged her stay? Who arranged the rooms? How were SGPC staff and other facilities allegedly provided to her? These questions cannot be avoided by issuing a video statement."

Pannu said the latest incident has raised further questions about what was happening inside the SGPC-run sarai and who facilitated the woman's stay there.

"The SGPC administration must explain how such a situation continued for months and who was responsible for providing the rooms and facilities," he added.

Source: IANS