Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Tuesday questioned the continued silence of Akali Dal (Badal) Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, SGPC (Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee) leadership, senior Akali leaders, Congress leaders and BJP leaders over the serious allegations raised by a woman from Bahrain against Akali leader Amarjit Singh Chawla and others. He also questioned the silence of Akali leaders Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, Congress leaders Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Partap Singh Bajwa, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and senior BJP leaders on the matter.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said, “An First Information Report (FIR) had been registered following the complaint of a woman who had come from Bahrain and that the issue had now been continuing for several days. Amarjit Singh Chawla had resigned from his SGPC membership and other positions, but questioned whether his resignation from the SGPC had actually been accepted. The FIR against Amarjit Singh Chawla was registered at Anandpur Sahib police station under provisions relating to rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation.”
Questioning Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal directly, Baltej Pannu said, “Why is Sukhbir Singh Badal still silent? Why is the person who is the chief custodian of the Akali Dal not coming forward and saying anything on this matter?”
Questioning SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, Baltej Pannu asked why the SGPC had not acted with the urgency that it had claimed was required in such matters. “Why had boards informing the sangat about those named in the case not been put up outside gurdwaras? If this is a practice that was supposed to inform the sangat, then there should be no delay in implementing it,” he reasoned.
Baltej Pannu also questioned Harsimrat Kaur Badal and asked where she was now after previously taking women along during protests. “The woman had approached different Akali leaders seeking protection. Why was she told to go and register an FIR instead of being provided protection? Where is Harsimrat Kaur Badal? When will she go with women and gherao the houses of Amarjit Singh Chawla and Malkit Singh? Will she do it or not?” he asked.
Baltej Pannu also questioned the conduct of Akali leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, saying that while most of the Badal leadership remained silent, Virsa Singh Valtoha was appearing in the matter and making statements about the woman. “Virsa Singh Valtoha had publicly defended Amarjit Singh Chawla and rejected questions over his own role in bringing the Bahrain-based woman to Punjab. Why did Virsa Singh Valtoha know so much about the woman and her past?” He questioned.
Baltej Pannu further questioned Youth Akali Dal president Sarabjit Singh Jhinjer and demanded that the Akali leadership answer questions surrounding how the woman came to Punjab and how she remained in a sarai for months.
Turning to the Congress, Baltej Pannu questioned why leaders who regularly speak on political issues were silent on the matter.
Specifically questioning Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Baltej Pannu said, “Sukhpal Singh Khaira gets up at 6 in the morning every day to abuse the government, to abuse Bhagwant Mann and to abuse his family. Where has Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s team gone? So many days have passed and he has not spoken even a single word on this matter.”
Baltej Pannu also questioned Bikram Majithia, saying that someone who claims to have information about every issue should answer why he was silent on this matter. “Where is Bikram Majithia? What has happened to his responsibility in this matter concerning a woman?” he asked.
He also questioned Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, asking whether an incident that took place in Punjab and concerns a woman was not serious enough for them to speak about. “Is this not an issue connected with Punjab? Did this incident not take place in Punjab? What happened to her for six months, is that not a serious matter?” Baltej Pannu asked.
Baltej Pannu also questioned the silence of the BJP leadership. He asked why BJP leaders who were currently undertaking a ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’ had not made a statement on the matter. He specifically questioned whether BJP leaders including Sunil Jakhar, Manpreet Singh Badal and other senior BJP leaders had said anything. “Have you heard any statement from a main BJP leader on this matter? Why is the BJP silent? Has an Akali-BJP understanding already been reached, because of which the BJP is sitting silent?” Baltej Pannu asked.
Baltej Pannu said, “The silence of the Badal family is understandable from his political perspective, but why are opposition parties including the Congress and BJP also silent?”
He said the people of Punjab and the Punjabi and Sikh community across the world were closely watching where the voices of these leaders had gone. “Are their voices only meant to attack the Chief Minister? Are their voices only meant to attack CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s family? We see and read their posts and statements against Mann Sahib every day. But is this matter not serious enough for them to even speak on it?” he asked.
Baltej Pannu said that the Akali Dal (Badal) leadership could not simply close its eyes and pretend that the matter did not exist. “They believe that if they did not see the issue, or said anything about it, the issue would disappear,” he added.
Baltej Pannu demanded that journalists question these leaders directly whenever they appear at press conferences and ask them for their position on the matter. “Call them and ask them what they have to say and when they will come forward and speak,” he said.
Baltej Pannu said that the questions would continue to be raised until Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harjinder Singh Dhami, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Partap Singh Bajwa, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and BJP leaders came forward and answered them.
