In a bid to rest down the controversies erupted after Congress MLAs raised allegations of corruption and unprofessionalism against Patiala’s civil and police officers, the state government arranged a special chopper for the four Congress MLAs during a visit to Dera at Nurmahal in Jalandhar district on Sunday.
Member Parliament from Patiala Preneet Kaur held a meeting with the MLAs — Samana’s Rajinder Singh, Rajpura’s Hardial Singh Kamboj and Ghanaur’s Madan Lal Jalalpur — before taking them for a chopper ride to attend the annual event of Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan in Nurmahal.
Punjab cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, who is chairman of the district grievances redressal committee, accompanied them.
The MLAs had registered their dissent against the working of civil and police officer during a grievances redressal committee. Besides alleging an SDM-level officer and his senior assistant of demanding bribe of ₹7 lakh, the MLAs accused police of phone tapping. The MLAs have also accused police of letting off drug peddlers without registration of case.
A senior leaders said that the move was aimed to pacify these Congress MLAs so that such trend is not be followed by other MLAs in state. “Attacking civil and police machinery is just like indirectly raising questions over working of government,” the leader said.
He added that all three MLAs met the Patiala MP at her residence before accompanying her to Nurmahal. “The MLAs have been assured that their grievances are taken seriously and action will be taken,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}He added that all three MLAs met the Patiala MP at her residence before accompanying her to Nurmahal. “The MLAs have been assured that their grievances are taken seriously and action will be taken,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, a chief whip of the party in the assembly, Kamboj, who is a second-time MLA, refused that any discussion on proceedings of grievances committee meeting was held during their visit to Dera.
“We have already briefed the matter to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur about the working of district administration and police officers,” he said.
He added that they have raised the genuine issues as being the elected representatives, they are facing issues while dealing with officers.
It may be mentioned that hours after the Congress MLAs levelled charges of corruption against some civil officers, chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh marked an inquiry into the allegations besides transferring Patiala SDM Ravinder Singh Arora.
Even CIA staff inspector Vijay Kumar, who was accused of tapping phone of Samana MLA Rajinder Singh was transferred.