The Central Administrative Tribunal’s (CAT’s) decision to quash appointment of Dinkar Gupta as Punjab DGP on Friday came as a big setback to Captain Amarinder Singh-led state government, which immediately went into a huddle to explore the legal options to challenge the order.
The chief minister was attending the special session of Vidhan Sabha when the news about the CAT judgment reached him, and he immediately went to his chamber. As the contents of the order were not clear till it was uploaded on CAT website at around 2pm, the chief minister took no time to declare it before the media that Dinkar Gupta — who is considered his trusted lieutenant — would continue to be the DGP.
Amarinder, it is learnt, immediately rang up advocate general Atul Nanda, urging him to study the CAT order and keep papers ready to challenge it in Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday.
Amarinder talked to the media outside the Vidhan Sabha and said the matter has to be sorted out between the CAT, UPSC and the officer. “Dinkar will continue to be the DGP of Punjab,” he said.
Meanwhile, the issue also figured during the debate on CAA inside the assembly with SAD member Bikram Singh Majithia taking a jibe at the government on the issue. “You are talking about the discrimination against Muslims in the CAA. But I have learnt just now that CAT has accepted the plea of DGP Mohd Mustafa who was not given his due and had challenged the appointment in the court,” said Majithia.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the issue also figured during the debate on CAA inside the assembly with SAD member Bikram Singh Majithia taking a jibe at the government on the issue. “You are talking about the discrimination against Muslims in the CAA. But I have learnt just now that CAT has accepted the plea of DGP Mohd Mustafa who was not given his due and had challenged the appointment in the court,” said Majithia.
{{/usCountry}}To this, transport minister Razia Sultana, who is Mustafa’s wife, stood up and reprimanded Majithia to rake up the issue inside the assembly. “Appointment of DGP is an internal matter of our government and we will sort it out on out own. You don’t have any right to discuss this issue at this forum,” said Sultana.
To this, Majithia responded by saying that he just wanted to show sympathy with Mustafa and is ready to withdraw his words “if behanji (Razia) doesn’t like that”.