Sunny Deol, BJP Parliamentarian from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, has stoked a controversy by appointing a “representative” to attend meetings and follow up important matters on his behalf. Opposition parties have termed the move an insult to voters. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party criticised Mr. Deol’s decision on Tuesday, accusing him of making a “mockery of democracy.”
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said in a democracy the voter is always right. “It’s their choice. One has to accept it. Even his voters knew they had it coming. Actually, they perhaps never expected anything more than a selfie with him,” said Mr. Jakhar. “What more can be expected of him? He himself admitted during canvassing that he didn’t know anything about politics. His voters probably never expected him to shift his base to Gurdaspur. You reap what you sow,” he told, The Hindu.
AAP’s Harpal Singh Cheema, leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, said it was absurd for a “public representative” to appoint a “representative.”
“It’s an insult to democracy. Mr. Deol's decision goes to show his lack of seriousness towards the people of his constituency. He is trying to delegate his powers, but he needs to understand this is not the way things work in a democracy. Why did he contest election if he cannot serve his constituency?” wondered Mr. Cheema. “People have elected Sunny Deol and not someone he would like to appoint,” he said.
Mr. Deol had recently issued a statement on his official letter-head, appointing his close aide Gurpreet Singh Palheri as his representative. “I hereby appoint Gurpreet Singh Palheri, son of Supinder Singh, resident of village Palheri, district Mohali, Punjab, as my representative to attend meetings and follow important matters pertaining to my Parliamentary constituency, Gurdaspur (Punjab), with concerned authorities,” read the letter dated June 26.
‘A non-issue’
The actor-turned-politician, meanwhile, said it was unfortunate that a controversy being created out of a non-issue. “I have appointed a personal assistant to represent my office in Gurdaspur. This appointment has been made to ensure smooth flow of work whenever I am out of Gurdaspur to attend Parliament or travelling on work. The intention is merely to ensure that no work is disrupted or delayed due to any reason whatsoever and to keep myself updated on a daily basis,” he tweeted from his official Twitter handle.
He added that as an MP he was genuinely committed to the cause of Gurdaspur.
