Charges without foundation

The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The chief minister did not grant any protection to Bibi Jagir Kaur against the due process of law or cause any delay in the finalisation of investigations. After all, even after the case was transferred to the CBI, the premier investigating agency took months to lodge an FIR against her. Until today, no chargesheet has been filed against her in a court of law. The presence of the chief minister during the performance of the last rites of Bibi Jagir Kaur8217;s daughter can, by no stretch of the imagination whatsoever, be construed as rewriting the rules to give her protection. It is customary for the chief minister to attend such events.

What is specifically objectionable is the allegation against the chief minister that he 8220;fondly allowed8221; Bibi Jagir Kaur to continue as the SGPC chief. But does Sukhmani Singh really expect Badal, as the chief minister, to dislodge a duly elected president of SGPC, a statutory body?

It is also a baseless allegation that the chief minister has systematically undermined the autonomy of all the government8217;s arms in the state. It is again an unsubstantiated exaggeration to allege that cases of custodial torture, fake arrests, deaths, continue to pile up 8220;every week in the Punjab amp; Haryana High Court8221;.

The author has made another sweeping generalisation, to the effect that officers in Punjab have grown to accept political diktats. It is the duty of the officialdom to obey the legal orders of the democratically elected government, which includes the chief minister and his council of ministers, as per Standing Orders governing distribution of work. Public representatives have to be shown due courtesies, while the issues raised by them have essentially to be considered with an open mind and appropriate follow up action taken. The allegation that the Punjab officials seek orders from the family members of the chief minister or tailor the official procedures to suit the whims of the chief minister8217;s family are utterly malicious. It is preposterous to make the sweeping statement that officers in Punjab suppress the truth and subvert the facts in the discharge of their duties.

Without holding any brief for Sukhbir Singh Badal, the chief minister8217;s son, the fact emerges that the author has clearly pre-judged the disputed question as to whether he slapped a local photo-journalist or not, an issue which is pending for adjudication in the High Court of Punjab amp; Haryana.

The author has even suggested that Punjabis revolt against the government. Her arguments are perhaps motivated by an urge to topple a democratically elected government. According to her, if the Punjabis do not unite and revolt, Punjab will fall apart. One does not frequently come across such amusing sensationalism which would, at best, pass off for political pamphleteering.

The writer is special principal secretary to the Punjab chief minister, Parkash Singh Badal

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