Congress MLA Questions Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s Drug Drive

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. (File/Photo)

Congress MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, who had left the government red-faced with his drugs remark during a state function, met Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at his official residence on Wednesday. The Amargarh MLA had been summoned by the CM over his statement that “chitta was available in every nook and cranny of Sunam”. Dhiman had made that comment at the state function to observe martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh on Monday. The meeting between Dhiman and the CM lasted 15 minutes, and after the meeting, he told The Indian Express: “I showed him the video of my address and told him my statement was distorted. CM told me I spoke about drugs.”

Dhiman added that he raised the issue that party workers were upset that their works were not being done despite being in the ruling party. “Uhna ne keha ke sab kamm ho jaange (CM told me all works will be done),” he said.
On whether he would again raise the issue, Dhiman said, “Zameer jaagan di gall hai. Assi janta nu jawaabdeh han. Je kujh nahi hunda ta pher raise kar lavange issue. (It is all about my conscience. We are answerable to the public. If nothing changes, then I will raise the issue again). Dhiman kadi apni gall to nahi mukkarda (Dhiman never goes back on his words).” Asked if the CM was upset with him, Dhiman said Amarinder was very cordial. “He heard me out. We all know he is a very decent man,” said the MLA.

While claiming that he did not seek anyone’s transfer, he added: “ASI, SHO and Havildar knew everything about the issue of drugs. ASI,

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Havildar, ate SHO ehna di pakad hai. Ehna di saanjh hai (ASI, Havildar and SHO are well enconsed and they are in a nexus). But I did not seek anybody’s transfer. I told CM that our works should not stop. SSP Mandeep Sidhu is my friend. I had also told him about all this a month and a half ago.”

He added: “Captain sahib kehne uhna di akhiri term hai. Main keha meri vi last hai (Captain sahib said it is his last term. I said it is my last term too)…..I feel happier in my factory. We make agriculture implements.”
Would it have been better for him to have taken up the issue at party level? “Kisse nu risk laini pavegi (Somebody will have to take the risk),” he said.

The MLA claimed the he had no ambition to become a minister. “I have no ambition. Kai mantri vi lokan da enna kamm nahi karva sakde jinna kayi MLA karva sakde ne (Some ministers cannot get work of people done as much as some MLAs can),” he added.