Patiala, April 18
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said there was no question of any compromise by the government in the attempt to rape and murder cases registered against Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia and said the latter may have doctored the tapes carrying his conversations with the Education Secretary and the Chief Minister’s private secretary.
‘’I cannot believe my Education Secretary could do such a thing’’, he said while talking to mediapersons here when asked about the recorded tapes of the conversation between Mr N.S. Rattan and the Vice-Chancellor, with the former assuring him that all cases would be withdrawn if he tendered his resignation.
“Dr Ahluwalia can do anything to prove his point as he is a master in such things’’, he explained.
Capt Amarinder indicated that there was no way the Vice-Chancellor could be removed from office before May 15 when he would relinquish charge. He said it would have been very easy for the government to bring out an ordinance under which Mr Ahluwalia could have been sacked. There was, however, a feeling that universities should not be opened to political interference only to sack one man and the move was dropped.
The Chief Minister said his government would appoint a “top-class’’ man to the post but refrained from specifying anything except that the eminence of the candidate would be the main criteria for selection. Questioned about an appeal by the Joint Action Committee which is agitating against Dr Ahluwalia to appoint a Search Committee to select the new Vice-Chancellor, he said there was no need for this. He had already received 20 applications from those wanted to be considered for the post.
The Chief Minister said the government was of the firm view that power reforms were necessary to bring the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) out of the red. While saying that the board would remain as such, he said the government had received two to three offers from private parties who wanted to enter the power sector in the state and that the applications were under consideration. He said this move would not affect the PSEB in any way.
Speaking on the issue of free power, he said the free power facility would not be withdrawn. A middle road, however, would have to be found to unburden the PSEB as well as ensure the farmers did not suffer. He said a package in this regard was being prepared and would be finalised before the Budget session.
Capt Amarinder Singh visited the local grain market along with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Singh and district officials, including Deputy Commissioner Tejvir Singh and Additional Deputy Commissioner Shivdular Singh Dhillon.
Briefing mediapersons on the spot, the Chief Minister said while 4.5 lakh tonnes of wheat had been procured till date last season, 23.5 lakh tonnes had been procured during the corresponding period this year. He said 25 million tonnes of foodgrain remained stocked with the state.
