Punjab Governor lambasts Bhagwant Mann on various issues; CM says 'not accountable to Centre-appointed guv'

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, February 13

Amidst souring of relations between the Punjab Governor and Aam Aadmi Party government, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has again hit out at the AAP government by questioning various decisions taken by the government in the past couple of weeks, including lack of transparency in selecting teachers to be sent to Singapore for training.

In a letter to the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Purohit has questioned the appointment of “tainted” person as chairperson of Punjab Infotech, saying he was accused in a property grabbing case and kidnapping case.

In his reply to the Governor, CM Mann said, “All the issues flagged by you in the letter are state subject. I am accountable only to three crore Punjabis. I am not accountable to Governor appointed by Centre government.”

ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਰਾਜਪਾਲ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਚਿੱਠੀ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਜ਼ਰੀਏ ਮਿਲੀ..ਜਿੰਨੇ ਵੀ ਚਿੱਠੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਸ਼ੇ ਲਿਖੇ ਨੇ ਓਹ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਟੇਟ ਦੇ ਵਿਸ਼ੇ ਹਨ …ਮੈਂ ਅਤੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਸੰਵਿਧਾਨ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ 3 ਕਰੋੜ ਪੰਜਾਬੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਜਵਾਬਦੇਹ ਹੈ ਨਾ ਕਿ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਨਿਯੁਕਤ ਕਿਸੇ ਰਾਜਪਾਲ ਨੂੰ .ਇਸੇ ਨੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਜਵਾਬ ਸਮਝੋ..

— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) February 13, 2023

In his letter, the Governor has requested the CM to send him the criteria and details of entire selection process. “Please also give detail if it was widely published throughout Punjab. As per news reports since the first batch has come back, please let me have details of total expenditure incurred on travelling and boarding lodging and expenses towards training,” says the letter.

Lambasting the CM further, the Governor has said that “… in one of the letters addressed to me you had mentioned that because of the heavy mandate by the people of Punjab you are the CM, I fully agree with you on this count but you should also keep it in mind that people of the State elected you for running the administration as per the Constitution and not as per whims and fancies. As per Article 167 of the Constitution of India you are bound to furnish me full details and information asked by me, but you have not furnished the same and never cared to reply and treated all my queries with contempt. To maintain cordial relations I have not revealed these letters to press because I thought you will fulfil the mandate of the constitution but now it appears to me that you have decided to ignore my letters and I am compelled to release these letters to the press/media,” he said.

The Governor has questioned the government’s silence in his letter regarding non disbursal of scholarship by the Government and to remove the illegally appointed Vice Chancellor of PAU.

Raising the issue of former Chandigarh SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal, the Governor has accused the CM of choosing to ignore all misdeeds of the officer and promoting him. “You have not only promoted him but also posted him as Commissioner of Jalandhar and that too the orders being issued just before January 26, knowing very well that Governor is to unfurl the national flag at Jalandhar. I had to instruct the DGP that officer concerned should maintain distance during the ceremony. On this issue it seems that this officer was your blue-eyed boy and you chose to ignore facts that were brought to your notice by this office,” he said.

The Governor has said he had questioned the presence of Naval Aggarwal in meetings of senior officers, where sensitive and confidential matters of security of the country are discussed. “I have not received any reply till date. My letters asking for details of advertisements where you were asked for complete details is also perhaps lying in cold storage. There are many other points but I have chosen to highlight five sensitive and important points covering safety and security of the State and country. The information about these points was asked by me besides two points already asked by me. The entire information which has been sought by me may at least now be furnished within a fortnight. If you fail to provide this information within the stipulated time period as already sufficient time has passed I will be compelled to take legal advice for further action, since I am duty bound to protect the Constitution,” he said.