SAD suspends MP Sukhdev Dhindsa, son Parminder

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 11

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday suspended MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa with immediate effect and resolved to issue them a charge sheet to explain their conduct.

The decision was taken by the core committee of the Akali Dal.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had opened a front against the party leadership, especially its chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a bid to “liberate” the SAD from the Badal family and “revive its lost glory”.

Lehragaga MLA and former Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa had resigned as leader of the SAD Legislature Party some days ago.

The Dhindsa duo had vowed to restore the ideology of the Akali Dal and save its democratic set-up.

Former minister Sikander Singh Maluka, who is the Observer of the party’s Sangrur district unit, disclosed to the core committee that at a recent meeting of the Sangrur district body it was unanimously decided to recommend the expulsion of the father-son duo for indulging in anti-party activities.

According to party spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, after due discussion it was decided to issue a charge sheet to the duo following which they would be given two weeks to explain their conduct.

“The party will take its next course of action after receiving the reply of the two leaders,” he added.

Meanwhile, the SAD’s core committee also resolved to meet Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore on January 15 to demand an independent inquiry into the recent “power scam” which had come to light.

The core committee said the Congress government had shown deliberate laxity to give a benefit of Rs 3,000 crore to private thermal plant managements and a coal company by putting up a weak defence in cases filed by them against the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.

It was also decided that a delegation of party leaders will meet Union Home minister Amit Shah on Sunday. It will take up issues, including befitting observation of the 400th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, commuting Balwant Singh Rajoana’s death sentence to life and his release from jail and asking Pakistan to ensure safety and security of Sikhs and Sikh shrines in Pakistan.

Two Committees were also formed to look into “betrayal of promises” made to all sections of society by the Congress government and to look into cases of the “state repression,” the party said. With PTI inputs