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Hans India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Akali-AAP-Congress face-off: Punjab Assembly descends into chaos
Chandigarh: The Punjab Assembly descended into chaos after a confrontation between Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa during a discussion on an anti-drug drive. Participating in a debate on the concluding day of the special session of the Punjab Assembly here, Cheema lashed out at the previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments, accusing them of failing to wipe out the scourge of drugs. Cheema credited the Bhagwant Mann government with taking such efforts as 55,000 government jobs and sports event 'khedan watan Punjab diyan' to wean away the youth from drugs. He also lauded the state government's anti-drug drive, 'Yudh Nasheyan Virudh.' After Cheema sought permission from Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Singh Rori to play old videos of some Congress leaders in which they had criticised Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, and Bajwa took an exception to it. 'Under what rules of the Vidhan Sabha, can it be allowed. Are you sitting in a picture hall? Talk some sense,' Bajwa said. He said it was on his complaint that Cheema and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora were booked in Chandigarh for allegedly circulating a 'doctored video' he had posted in Majithia's case. Bajwa said he also had criticised the action of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau for being in 'utter violation' of the law when they went to Akali MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia's house. Last month, Bikram Singh Majithia was booked in a disproportionate assets case. Cheema said that when the Punjab Vigilance took action against Majithia, the Congress leaders came out in support of the Akali leader. Later, noisy scenes were again witnessed when Akali MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura accused Congress MLA Avtar Singh Junior of abusing him, leading to more heated arguments in the House. The deputy speaker asked Junior if he used abusive language, to which the Congress MLA assented. 'Have you come here to abuse?' the deputy speaker then said to Junior. The AAP MLAs rose from their seats and sought action against Junior for using cuss word. The deputy speaker assured everyone that he would take strict notice of it. Later, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan got the records checked and found Junior guilty of using an objectionable word and said a resolution can be moved against Junior. Sandhwan said Junior can seek an apology. When Junior did not stand up to seek an apology, Congress leader Bajwa sought forgiveness on his behalf. Earlier, Bajwa, while participating in the debate, emphasised that the nexus between police and drug smugglers must be shattered to wipe out the drug menace. He alleged that there was no impact of the anti-drug drive on the ground, and that drugs could still be bought in the streets.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
In bypoll-bound Tarn Taran, where BJP got just 1,176 votes in 2022, Surjit Kumar Jyani is incharge
Chandigarh: The BJP on Wednesday appointed former minister Surjit Kumar Jyani as in-charge for Tarn Taran assembly constituency, scheduled for a bypoll after the death of AAP MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal last month. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Former MLA K D Bhandari and party leader Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon have been appointed as co-in charge for the seat, considered to be a panthic stronghold. In the 2022 assembly polls, when BJP independently contested its first assembly election from Tarn Taran, its candidate Navreet Singh Hundal got just 1,176 votes, less than 1% of the total polled votes. The BJP candidate finished sixth, marginally above None Of The Above (NOTA) for which 1,168 electors opted. The candidate who finished fifth was an independent, Dr Sukhmandeep Singh Dhillon, who polled 1,315 votes. Dr Sohal of the AAP won by polling 52,935 votes, while Harmeet Singh Sandhu, who contested on the SAD ticket and was earlier elected thrice – once as an independent and subsequently as an SAD candidate, finished as the runner-up with 39,347 votes. On Tuesday, Sandhu, who quit the SAD last year, joined the AAP, triggering a buzz that the ruling party may field him in the bypoll. Congress candidate Dr Dharambir Agnihotri had finished third by polling 26,535 votes in 2022. The Tarn Taran assembly constituency is one of the nine segments that are part of the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh registered a landslide victory as an independent in the 2024 parliamentary elections, defeating his nearest rival Kulbir Singh Zira of Congress by 1,97,120 votes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Jailed MP Amritpal Singh's party Shiromani Akali Dal Waris Punjab De which was formed in January this year is also looking for a formidable face for the Tarn Taran bypoll. Amid this backdrop, the BJP, which earlier counted predominantly on the urban areas while its then ally SAD looked mostly after the rural areas, is set to test the political waters of Tarn Taran after a massive drubbing in 2022. "Since then, we have done a lot of spadework. We have been holding camps to enable people to avail benefits of various welfare schemes like Ayushman cards, e-Shram cards, and Awaas Yojana. We are reaching out to the people at the booth level. The scenario has changed a lot from what it was earlier. Many Akali families have come into the BJP fold. It is fast becoming a mindset of the people that it is the BJP which is going to save Punjab," said BJP leader Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon, who had a long association with the SAD in the past. He joined the saffron party in May last year. "Like what (chief minister) Yogi Adityanath did in UP to end gangsterism… things have come to such a pass in Punjab that people are now even afraid of moving around with earrings made of fake gold, fearing that they may end up having stitches on ears if snatchers mistook those for real gold," said also said there was "significant influence of RSS workers" in old Tarn Taran city, which would work in favour of the BJP. Kahlon also said a sizeable number of BJP councillors used to get elected in local polls in Tarn Taran when there was an SAD-BJP contested the November 2024 Dera Baba Nanak assembly bypoll on a BJP ticket, polling 6,505 votes – 5.25% of the total votes polled. The bypoll was necessitated after the sitting Congress legislator, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, was elected to Lok Sabha from Gurdaspur last year. AAP candidate Gurdeep Singh Randhawa was elected as MLA in the bypoll, securing 59,104 votes. He defeated Randhawa's wife and Congress candidate Jatinder Kaur Randhawa by 5,699 votes. "The BJP's vote share improved in Dera Baba Nanak than what was in the 2022 Punjab polls," said Kahlon. On SAD Waris Punjab De preparing in a big way for the bypoll, Kahlon said: "At one point of time Simranjit Singh Mann led party had also witnessed a boom but it later vanished. A similar thing is going to happen with Amritpal's party."
United News of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Vigilance raids Majithia's office again; Amritsar property also under scanner
Chandigarh, July 15 (UNI) In a fresh crackdown under Punjab's anti-corruption campaign, the Vigilance Bureau today conducted another raid at the Majitha-based office of senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia. The team carried out a detailed measurement of the entire office building. Simultaneously, vigilance teams also inspected a property linked to Majithia and his family at Green Avenue in Amritsar. Both raids are reportedly part of an ongoing probe into assets allegedly linked to the former minister, who is currently in judicial custody at Nabha jail till July 19. Sources confirmed that the exercise focused on verifying property records and ownership details, believed to be associated with Majithia's family. During the nearly three-hour-long search operation, officials also recovered a mobile phone and a DVR from the premises, but no incriminating material was reportedly found. Advocate Amanveer Singh, representing Majithia, confirmed that the raid was related to an ongoing investigation into a previously registered case against his client. He added that a bail application has already been filed in the Mohali court, with the hearing expected in the coming days. 'The vigilance team was here since 11 am and completed measurement and verification of both movable and immovable assets. No seizure or suspicious item was recovered,' Singh clarified, stating the agency was simply completing procedural aspects of the investigation. The vigilance actions mark continued scrutiny of high-profile political figures in Punjab amid the state government's aggressive push against alleged corruption and disproportionate assets.
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Indian Express
Disproportionate assets case: Unearthed 402-hectare benami land in Shimla when Majithia taken to HP: Vigilance to court
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) Wednesday informed a Mohali court that they have unearthed the registry of 402 hectares of undeclared land in Shimla after Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia was taken to Himachal Pradesh as a part of investigation in a disproportionate assets case. The VB also informed the court that investigations further revealed that Majithia's wife, Ganieve Kaur, held a disputed 25% share in Jalandhar's Green Avenue Society. The VB made the disclosures in court while seeking further custody of Majithia who was produced before the it after his seven-day remand ended Wednesday. The court extended his remand by four more days. The Akali leader was produced before the court amid tight security. The security was also beefed up at the VB office. The media was also kept at bay. Majithia was arrested on June 25 in the case allegedly involving laundering of Rs 540 crore of 'drug money'. Speaking to the mediapersons after the hearing, public prosecutor Ferry Sofat said many facts came up during investigation by the VB in the DA case against Majithia. 'Majithia was taken to Shimla where a registry of 402 hectares of land was found and it has not been declared in an affidavit till now,' Sofat claimed. The copy of the registry was produced before the court, he added. Special public prosecutor Preet Inderpal Singh said during interrogation of Majithia, the VB came to know about some sales deeds of land in Mashobra in Shimla. Majithia had shown 0.56 hectare of land in his affidavit in 2012 whereas the sales deeds pertained to 2010-11, Singh claimed. 'A huge chunk of 402 hectares of land was shown in the sales deed,' he said, 'which was discovered when Majithia was taken to Shimla.' The prosecution further claimed that Rs 161 crore in unaccounted cash was discovered, whose source remains unclear. 'The amount did not enter through any banking transaction,' said the prosecutor, adding that Majithia is to be taken to Gorakhpur for further investigation into the origin of this money. On June 30, Majithia was taken to Mashobra in Himachal Pradesh for verification of property allegedly linked to his family. On July 1, he was taken to his office in Majitha in Amritsar. Singh claimed that the investigation revealed that a farm house at Sainik Farms in Delhi, which had earlier been sold, was repurchased by Majithia's father when the Akalis returned to power in Punjab. He claimed that the value of that farmhouse was estimated to be in hundreds of crores. Majithia's counsel, Arshdeep Kaler and HS Dhanoa, countered that the Akali leader has nothing to do about any property purchase dealings done by his father. The special public prosecutor said Majithia's family had shown Sainik Farms as their address in Saraya Industries' records. During the VB investigation, it also came to the fore that Ganieve Kaur, an Akali MLA, has 25 per cent share in the Green Avenue Society in Jalandhar and for this share, crores of rupees were given, Singh said. Advocate Kler claimed the VB could not produce new facts before the court. Kler said the VB could not find anything from Himachal Pradesh, Majitha in Amritsar and Chandigarh. Kler later alleged that the 'government is hiding from the media'. 'If they were truly honest, they wouldn't be afraid to present Majithia publicly. This case is just like the previous drug case where no drugs were ever found. Here too, no fresh evidence has emerged. Majithia hasn't even visited Gorakhpur in over 16 years, yet they insist on taking him there.' he added. The lawyers claimed that the properties being cited in court had already been fully disclosed in affidavits submitted to the Supreme Court, and that Majithia is 'not a director in any of the mentioned companies only an 11% shareholder in inherited assets.'Kler further accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of manipulating media narratives and suppressing opposition voices, calling the arrest'a political vendetta under the garb of investigation.' In the fresh FIR registered against Majithia, the VB claimed preliminary investigations have revealed laundering of over Rs 540 crore of 'drug money' through several ways and it was allegedly facilitated by Majithia. This FIR against Majithia stems from an ongoing investigation being conducted by a Punjab Police special investigation team into the 2021 drug case. In 2021, Majithia was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The action was taken on the basis of a 2018 report of the anti-drug Special Task Force. Majithia spent more than five months in Patiala jail and walked out of prison in August 2022 after the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail.
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Eyes on 2027 state polls: SAD open to truck with BJP but with riders
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), in its attempt to regain its lost political ground in Punjab, has indicated its willingness to stitch up an alliance with its old-time partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2027 assembly polls. In its maiden meeting chaired by Sukhbir, after re-election as president of SAD, the core committee, the party's top decision-making body, on Monday decided in favour of a re-alliance with BJP without compromising on Akali ideology. (HT File) In September 2020, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a week after the party MP Harsimrat Badal resigned from the Narendra Modi cabinet in protest against (now repealed) three farm laws in solidarity with the peasantry, who were protesting on the Delhi borders. In its maiden meeting chaired by Sukhbir, after re-election as president of SAD, the core committee, the party's top decision-making body, on Monday decided in favour of a re-alliance with BJP without compromising on Akali ideology. During the discussion, the party seniors, who are part of the meeting, sought clarity on the party's stand on tie-ups with the rebels or with the saffron party in the future when Punjab enters the elections year in 2027. Senior SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal said that the party pondered on a long list of issues in the core committee and one of them was about the alliance with BJP. 'Leaders wanted to know the party's future course of action and the core committee took feedback from all those present at the meeting,' he added. Last month, BJP's co-incharge for Punjab Narinder Singh Raina dismissed any talks of forming an alliance with the SAD for the 2027 polls. According to senior BJP leaders privy to the matter, Raina emphasised that recent speculation had created confusion among party workers and the general public. 'These rumours are baseless. I have recently met with the top leadership, and they have also ruled out any talks about such an alliance at this point,' Raina was quoted as saying. However, a certain section of the Punjab BJP is in favour of an alliance to take on AAP and Congress. The SAD-BJP alliance formed the government in the state thrice. They first formed the government in 1997, soon after SAD patriarch and five-time CM Prakash Singh Badal stitched an alliance with the saffron party. Then the alliance ruled the state for 10 years between 2007 and 2017. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, several reports suggested that both parties came close to a re-alliance but it could not materialise because two farm bodies started protesting at the Shambhu border along Haryana, blaming the Centre for not accepting their demands. SAD, which is looking to re-establish itself after its core base of panth and the peasantry eroded post the 2015 sacrilege incidents The party was blamed for the incidents and flip-flop on pardon to dera Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the highest temporal seat. In the 2017 state polls, the party was reduced to 15 members in the 117-member state assembly and further fell to just three in 2022. Siding with the peasantry, who was then opposing the now repealed farm laws, the party, in 2022, cut ties with the BJP, its ally of 25 years. The move further contributed to the party's slide. A senior Akali leader, based in Delhi, didn't rule out the talks of an alliance with the saffron party and said that it could happen close to the 2027 elections. 'These things are part of elections and at this stage, it is too early to say anything', he said, adding that 'At this stage, there is no compulsion. The things will happen when there is a force multiplier.'
