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Congress issues notices to Jakhar, Thomas for anti-party statements
The committee, led by former defence minister A K Antony, gave Jakhar and Thomas a week’s time to respond to the notices, failing which it may initiate action against them.
The Congress’s Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) on Monday issued show-cause notices to former Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar and former Union minister K V Thomas for alleged anti-parties, a party leader said.
The committee, led by former defence minister A K Antony, gave the two leaders a week’s time to respond to the notices, failing which it may initiate action against them.
While Jakhar had recently criticised former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and termed him a liability for the party after the Congress’s defeat in the February 14 assembly elections, Thomas had attended a seminar organised by the CPI(M) on April 9 in Kerala against the party’ wishes.
Congress secretary in-charge of Punjab, Harish Chaudhary, had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi, seeking action against Jakhar for the latter’s remark against Channi, DAC member secretary Tariq Anwar said.
“The committee examined the statements and issued the show-cause notice as per the constitution of the party, giving him one week to reply. If the reply is not found to be satisfactory, action will be taken,” Tariq told reporters after a meeting of the DAC at the Congress War Room here. The meeting was also attended by senior party leaders JP Aggarwal and Ambika Soni.
During the elections, Jakhar had also created a flutter in party circles through his remark that he was rejected for the chief minister’s post for being a Hindu and not a Sikh leader.
In another statement, Jakhar claimed that during the selection of the chief minister following Amarinder Singh’s resignation, 42 of 79 Congress MLAs had extended their support to the former Punjab Congress chief while only two had voted for Channi. Channi was ultimately picked for the role by the party.
Besides this, Jakhar has been accused of using “offensive language” against Channi and the Schedule Caste community by a section of party leaders. Besides seeking action, former ministers Raj Kumar Verka and Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, former MLA Lakhvir Singh Lakha and former district chief Rupinder Singh Raja Gill demanded an apology from the former Punjab Congress president for his alleged WHAT remarks to a TV channel.
Jakhar, who did not name anyone in his comment, said “attempts are being made to distort my comments and give them a communal colour”. “I want to appeal to the people who want to know the truth to watch the full interview. If anyone has been hurt by my comments, I express regret,” he said.
Congress leaders believe that Jakhar’s statements dented the party’s image during the polls.
Thomas, who was miffed with the party leadership for not being nominated for the recent biennial elections for three Kerala seats, had participated in the CPI(M)’s four-day Congress despite being asked not to by state Congress chief K Sudhakaran.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram after receiving the show cause notice, Thomas said he will mention everything he has to in his reply to the show cause notice and added that irrespective of the decision of the disciplinary committee, he will continue to be part of the Congress party.
“I will not leave the Congress. I will continue to be a Congressman till the day I die,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
It appears as though Thomas is preparing to fight a by-election in Kerala assembly with the help of the CPI(M), a second party leader said, wishing not to be named.
