Navjot Singh Sidhu hits back at Punjab Advocate General, alleges ‘earnest inaction’ in sacrilege case

Punjab Congress chief accuses A.P.S. Deol of ‘subverting justice’.

November 07, 2021 03:49 pm | Updated 10:25 pm IST - Chandigarh

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu. File

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu. File

Targeting the Punjab Advocate General A.P.S. Deol, State Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday alleged that “earnest inaction” in the cases related to sacrilege and drugs was “subverting justice”.

Mr. Sidhu's attack is being considered as the latest in the ongoing war of nerves between him and Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Putting up a show of united front, both the leaders had visited the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand last week. However, soon after their return, things appear to have gone back to square one.

Days after Mr. Channi was appointed as the Chief Minister in September, Mr. Sidhu had announced his resignation from the post of State Congress head without specifying any reason. Earlier this week, he took back the resignation, stating that he would return to his duties the day the State got a new Director-General of Police and Advocate General.

Mr. Sidhu’s latest statement came a day after Mr. Deol accused him of spreading misinformation. “There is a concerted attempt by vested interests to malign the functioning of the Congress party in view of the coming elections in Punjab for selfish political gain by politicising the constitutional office of the Advocate General of Punjab,” Mr. Deol had said.

Through a series of tweets, Mr. Sidhu on Sunday said: “Mr. AG-Punjab, Justice is blind but people of Punjab are not. Our Congress party came to power with a promise to give justice in sacrilege cases, in which you appeared before the High Court for main conspirators/accused persons and made serious allegations against our Govt.”

“Further, you specifically prayed for transferring the investigation to CBI as you were afraid of their false implication in sacrilege cases on accounts of mala fide, malice and ulterior motives on the part of political party in power in the State of Punjab. Today, you are representing the same Government of same political party in power and accusing me of spreading misinformation,” said Mr. Sidhu.

“Are you acting at the behest of those who appointed you in this constitutional office? Did you advise the Government to challenge the blanket bail order procured by you or any other adverse order in sacrilege cases in the Supreme Court? Leave the politics to the politicians and focus on your personal conscience, integrity and professional ethics, which your job requires,” he tweeted.

The State Congress chief also raised questions on the stand taken in a drugs related case. “In the hearing of drugs case in the High Court on October 5, 2021, upon being asked that what is stopping Govt. for taking action on the basis of Special Task Force report filed in High Court, you replied that ‘it would be ethically wrong to proceed in the matter without the court’s nod’,” Mr. Sidhu said.

“May I know what is unethical in proceeding against the accused persons on the basis of STF Report who are responsible for narcotics-terrorism in Punjab and has put India’s most prosperous State in danger of losing an entire generation to drug abuse?” tweeted Mr. Sidhu. He said the High Court had itself given a copy of the STF report to the State Government for consideration.

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