Chandigarh After passing a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 in the state assembly, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday briefed Congress president Sonia Gandhi about his government’s move to approach the Supreme Court against the amended law. Amarinder had a one-on-one meeting with Sonia before the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Asha Kumari and state Congress president Sunil Jakhar joined in.
Party sources said the Congress president asked the CM to inform the people of the state about the impact the CAA would have on the lives of the poor and the downtrodden, and not just those who belong to one community. With the Congress strongly opposing the CAA, Punjab is the first state ruled by the party to pass a resolution in the state assembly to seek repeal of the amendments made to the central law by the Narendra Modi government.
The Punjab assembly passed the resolution on Friday and now there are indications that other Congress-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, could follow suit.
During the meeting that lasted half an hour, the CM also raised Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s continued outburst against him and the state government, and sought disciplinary action, said sources. Bajwa, who has been at loggerheads with Amarinder, has been on the offensive lately, raising questions over the functioning of the chief minister, non-fulfilment of poll promises and the performance of the advocate general. The Congress MP’s tirade has left the state government red-faced.
Bajwa, on being contacted, stuck to his guns. “No one from the party has spoken to me or sought any explanation. I have raised some relevant and valid issues regarding the performance of the state government. That’s the only way to save the Congress party,” he said. Congress sources said that the issue of frequent power rates hike in the state also figured in discussions.
{{/usCountry}}Bajwa, on being contacted, stuck to his guns. “No one from the party has spoken to me or sought any explanation. I have raised some relevant and valid issues regarding the performance of the state government. That’s the only way to save the Congress party,” he said. Congress sources said that the issue of frequent power rates hike in the state also figured in discussions.
{{/usCountry}}CAPT CALLS OFF DAVOS VISIT
Capt Amarinder has called off his trip to Davos, Switzerland, for the 50th annual meet of the World Economic Forum (WEF) from January 21-24. The chief minister was to lead a delegation on an invitation extended to him by WEF president Borge Brende on the behalf of the Forum Board of Trustees in September 2019. Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal has already left for Davos.