CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress President Pargat Singh demanded the dismissal of Mansa SSP over alleged negligence in the case of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota’s death and called for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav to resign, taking moral responsibility for the situation.
Singh said the functioning of the police administration had come under serious scrutiny. He questioned the basis for declaring the death a murder without an impartial investigation if there was suspicion of a drug overdose. He demanded a transparent probe and accountability for the officials responsible.
He said public confidence in the police and administration was steadily eroding. Describing the alleged removal of the deceased’s body by the police from his family as extremely serious, he said the incident raised concerns about emergency-like conditions in Punjab.
The government must listen to people and act according to the law rather than suppress public anger through force, he said.
Singh appealed to the people of Punjab to remain calm amid emotional distress while continuing to demand justice and uphold their constitutional rights.
He also questioned the police’s failure to disclose the whereabouts of the arrested student union president. If she had been arrested, he asked, why had the police not clarified where she was being held and her legal status? "Transparency and adherence to due process were essential in every arrest and detention," he said.
"Maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the government and police administration. If people felt their voices were being silenced and they had to struggle to secure their rights, it should serve as a serious warning for the governance system," he added.
Targeting the Central Government, Singh questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah over what he described as discriminatory treatment of Punjab. He said the border state faced serious challenges, including drug and arms smuggling, requiring effective coordination and joint action by the Centre and the state government.
He alleged that the political contest between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party was pushing Punjab’s real concerns into the background. He held both governments responsible for the prevailing situation in the state.
Singh warned that conditions could deteriorate further unless serious action was taken on drugs, unemployment, law and order, and administrative accountability. Punjab must not be allowed to reach a point where instability and violence disrupt the daily lives of ordinary people, he said, appealing to the public to help preserve the state’s peace, harmony and brotherhood.
On the alleged issuance of an arms licence to the person who killed Jhota, Singh said that if the CBI was investigating the matter, its findings should be made public. He called for clarity on whether any irregularities had occurred in the licence-issuing process and stressed that questions about the functioning of the police and civil administration required an impartial investigation.
Singh also demanded an impartial investigation and transparency regarding the alleged Rs 10,000-crore scam linked to GMADA and claims that Delhi-based leader Amarinder Jha’s name had surfaced in connection with it. He said allegations of such a serious nature must be investigated fairly, with the facts placed before the public.
