CHANDIGARH: In his tussle with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi over the appointments of Advocate General Amar Preet Singh Deol and DGP Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu had his way.
Deol’s resignation was accepted by the state cabinet on Tuesday.
After a meeting with Channi and the state cabinet, Sidhu said, “AG Deol resigned a few days ago. The cabinet today accepted his resignation. It will be sent to the governor. Tomorrow, the new AG will be appointed.’’
The 61-year old Deol was appointed AG on September 27 following the resignation of Atul Nanda, who quit after Amarinder Singh stepped down as CM.
Sidhu had been pushing for Deol’s replacement because he had represented former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in cases related to the 2015 desecration incidents and police firing on protesters.
It led to a legal debate on conflict of interest primarily on the grounds that Deol was counsel of Saini and suspended IGP Paramraj Singh Umaranangal and thus would not be able to appear nor advise the state in cases related to Behbal Kalan police firing and sacrilege.
Last week, Deol launched an attack on Sidhu for spreading misinformation to gain a political advantage and accused him of obstructing the functioning of the state government and the AG’s office.
Channi said the state cabinet has sent names of 10 police officers with over 30 years of service to be appointed as DGP to UPSC. The UPSC will short-list three and of them will be appointed DGP.
“We will select a new DGP from the panel,” he added.
Channi also said that the cabinet has decided to regularise 36,000 contractual employees with more than 10 years of service. The cabinet also approved creation of deemed posts. A legislation in this regard will be tabled. Minimum wages of unskilled workers will be increased with effect from March 1, 2020.
The move came amid Sidhu's strong opposition to the appointments of Deol as the state's advocate general and Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as the officiating DGP of the state.
Deol had represented former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in cases related to the 2015 post-desecration police firing incidents.
On the issue of the DGP, Channi said a panel of senior police officers having over 30 years of experience has already been sent to the Centre.
Out of which, a panel of officers will be received from the Centre for the selection of the new DGP, he said.
With the replacement of the AG, Sidhu had his way amid unease between him and Channi over certain government appointments.
Citing personal reasons, Deol had tendered his resignation on November 1 to the chief minister but his resignation was not accepted.
Sidhu was learnt to have been unhappy over the non-acceptance of the resignation of Deol.
Sidhu has been targeting his own party government over the appointments of Deol and Sahota, who was the head of the special investigation team formed by the previous SAD-BJP government to probe desecration incidents.
On Monday, Sidhu in a press conference had said, "Choose compromised officers or the PPCC chief."
After Sidhu's outbursts, AICC's Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary had held a meeting with the CM and Sidhu.
Sidhu had stepped down in September as the Punjab Congress chief while questioning the appointments.
Last week, Sidhu said that he had withdrawn his resignation as the Punjab Congress chief but had also put a precondition that he would resume the charge the day a new advocate general is appointed in place of Deol and a panel for the appointment of a new director general of police comes from the UPSC.
A war of words between Sidhu and Deol had also erupted.
While Deol had accused the party's state unit chief of "spreading misinformation" and "obstructing functioning" of his office, the Congress leader had alleged that the AG's "earnest inaction was clearly subverting justice" in sacrilege and drug issues.
Deol had replaced Atul Nanda who had resigned following the resignation of Amarinder Singh as the Punjab chief minister.
(With PTI Inputs)