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Divide deepens in Cong govt over jobs to MLAs’ sons; 13 ministers, MPs back Capt
Lash out at critics ‘for failing to appreciate the state policy that has been in force for many years now’
The divide in the ruling Congress in Punjab deepened on Sunday as at least nine ministers and four MPs endorsed the state cabinet’s decision to give government jobs to sons of two party MLAs and slammed those who criticised it.
These leaders lashed out at the critics, including Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar and other party leaders, of the decision for failing to appreciate the “state policy that has been in force for many years now”.
Cabinet ministers Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Vijay Inder Singla, Aruna Chaudhary, Sunder Sham Arora, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Balbir Singh Sidhu, OP Soni, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Jasbir Singh Dimpa and Mohammad Sadiq were among those named in the joint statement.
The decision to give appointments to sons of Congress MLA Fateh Jang Bajwa and Rakesh Pandey on “compassionate grounds” was taken by the state cabinet at a virtual meeting on Friday amid strong opposition by five cabinet ministers. Jakhar, Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra had slammed the move on Saturday.
Responding to criticism, the ministers and MPs termed the collective decision of the cabinet to give government jobs as correct and in line with appointments given to similarly situated persons in the past. Lal Singh, chairman, Punjab Mandi Board, also came out strongly in support of the decision and advised all political leaders of the Congress to refrain from making any statement that could potentially weaken the party.
Amarinder’s backers, while giving details of initiatives taken by the government to accord top priority to the ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar Te Karobar Mission’, said the state has been giving jobs to various classes of people keeping in view the hardship faced by them as a result of unforeseen and tragic circumstances.
“Apart from terrorism-affected families, jobs and/or financial assistance has been given to handicapped persons, rape survivors and the families of the 1984 riot victims, defence personnel killed in action and government employees who die in harness to name a few,” they said.
Giving details of appointments given in the past to families of terrorism-affected families, it was pointed out that there are at present at least five such officers in the Punjab IAS cadre who had originally been appointed to the Punjab Civil Service (Executive) on these grounds. They further cited the case of the department of excise and taxation where 108 jobs, including two ETOs, have been given to the victims on these grounds.
Similarly, six terror victims had been appointed as naib tehsildar and many other were given appointments as DSP, inspector, etc in other departments and continue to serve on senior positions in the state, they said. Petrol pumps, ration depots besides other self-employment avenues have been provided on priority to such families. The victims of the 1984 Sikh riots have also been given similar benefits in addition to financial aid, they said.
It’s ‘horse trading’, says Pargat; Nawanshahr MLA seeks relook
Congress MLA Pargat Singh on Sunday questioned the Captain Amarinder Singh-led government’s decision of giving jobs to sons of two ruling party legislators, terming it “horse-trading” to keep the leaders on his side.
Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, the former Olympian said, “What kind of perception we were creating by giving jobs to sons of two MLAs? Despite being opposed by his five cabinet colleagues, the chief minister firmly took the decision of giving jobs. Why didn’t he (CM) take decisions on other issues?”
Also, Congress MLA from Nawanshahr Angad Singh urged the state government to relook at the decision of giving jobs to sons of two party legislators. He said he will request the party legislators Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa and Rakesh Pandey to reconsider the decision of accepting jobs for their sons. Instead they should contribute in giving jobs to the needy, he added.
