Punjab AG issue: Congress MP Manish Tewari takes dig at Sidhu

While Tewari says advocate generals of Punjab have become punching bags in proxy political wars, former state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar calls Charanjit Singh Channi a compromised CM

Anandpur Sahib Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday took a dig at the Punjab government’s decision to replace advocate general APS Deol, saying that politicising the AG’s office undermines the integrity of constitutional functionaries.

Punjab Congress MP Manish Tewari says politicising the office of the advocate general undermines the integrity of constitutional functionaries. His statement follows the state government decision to replace APS Deol on Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s demand. (HT file photo)

In three tweets, Tewari said that both previous advocate generals of Punjab became “punching bags in proxy political wars”. “Those who subvert the institution of the AG’s office need to remember a lawyer is neither wedded to a client or a brief,” he posted on Twitter without naming Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

The Charanjit Singh Channi government on Tuesday accepted the resignation of AG APS Deol, who had put in his papers on November 1 amid repeated statements from Sidhu against him.

Whose government is it anyway, asks Jakhar

Taking a shot at Channi, former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said that the AG’s ouster has exposed a compromised chief minister. “The ouster of a competent yet ‘allegedly’ compromised officer has exposed a ‘really’ compromised CM. Giving rise to a pertinent question - Whose government is it Anyway? (*Apologies to BBC’s radio drama - Whose line is it Anyway),” he tweeted.

APS Deol had represented ex-DGP Saini in sacrilege cases

As a lawyer, Deol had represented former director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini, who headed the state police at the time of the sacrilege incidents in 2015 and the subsequent police firing on protesters. Sidhu was opposed to Deol’s appointment for this reason and kept pressing for his replacement. Channi finally gave in and agreed to appoint a new AG.

In another tweet, Tewari said since @PunjabGovtIndia is going to appoint a new advocate general, they would be well advised to peruse rules of professional standards prescribed by @barcouncilindia. “An advocate is bound to accept any brief in the courts or tribunals or before any other authority in or before which he proposes to practise. He should levy fee which is at par with the fees collected by fellow advocates of his standing at the Bar and the nature of the case. Special circumstances may justify his refusal to accept a particular brief,” he tweeted.