Delayed notice to Punjab minister Fauja Singh Sarari result of AAP squabbling?

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, September 28

Speculation is rife over the reason for delay in taking action against Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Fauja Singh Sarari, whose audio recording purportedly discussing a “plan for extorting money from foodgrain contractors” went viral earlier this month.

Many within and outside AAP say a section of the party leadership was initially trying to brush the issue under the carpet, hoping that the controversy would die down.

Section of leaders supported him

Minister Fauja Singh Sarari is in the soup after his audio recording purportedly discussing an “extortion plan” went viral

A section of the AAP leadership was initially trying to brush the issue under the carpet, hoping that the controversy would die down

CM Bhagwant Mann put his foot down and sought an explanation from the minister

The ruling party reportedly did not want to disturb the caste equation in Malwa, as the minister belongs to the Rai Sikh community that has a massive vote base in southern part of the region.

It has been learnt that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann put his foot down and sought an explanation from the minister.

At Hussainiwala today, the CM confirmed that the AAP had issued a show-cause notice to the minister.

Though a section of the party had been dragging its feet on the matter, the issuance of the notice, after the CM’s return from abroad, has brought the matter at the centre stage again — that, too, when the Vidhan Sabha is in session.

The Opposition parties had been bracing up to rake up the issue of the minister’s purported audio recordings on the floor of the House. With the minister being put on notice, the Opposition attack is expected to lose its sting.

Sources in the party have said Mann, in his capacity as the state AAP chief, issued the notice to Sarari. AAP general secretary Harchand Singh Barsat has confirmed this, saying the minister had so far not replied to the notice.

Sources say the notice was issued to the minister earlier this week, but it was kept under wraps. Ever since the notice was served on him, Sarari has reportedly been seeking a private audience with the CM, with the latter refusing to hear him out.

In the Assembly yesterday, when the minister reportedly approached the CM again in his chamber, Sarari was reportedly denied a private audience, officials and politicians present there have confirmed to The Tribune.

Though the audio tapes of Sarari went viral earlier this month, just days preceding the departure of CM Mann on an official tour to Germany, a section of the ruling party was initially trying to dilly-dally on the matter. The party had then said that an “internal inquiry was underway”.