Reminiscent of the infamous Payal murder case of the 80’s, where Beant Singh, a minister in the then Darbara Singh government, was accused by Akalis of personal involvement, and the chief minister defended him by rejecting his resignation, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has gone on lengths defending his cornered Irrigation Minister, Gurchet Singh Bhullar in the Bhikhiwind murder case.‘‘I know his nature and there is no iota of doubt about his innocence. I have known him for two decades and that he is innocent,’’ is Amarinder’s defence.But the case is now threatening to become a major embarassment for the Congress government, with the Akali Dal planning a major offensive on the issue from tomorrow.Opposition leaders say they do not expect justice from the state police after the Chief Minister has given Bhullar a clean chit and plan to submit a memorandum to the Governor seeking Bhullar’s dismissal from the state Cabinet.‘‘How will the state police or the Home Department probe the case when their boss has already pronounced Bhullar as not guilty,’’ they ask.An Akali Dal spokesman today said: ‘‘The rash manner is which Amarinder is dealing the case reflects the functioning of the Congress government. It had to eat its words earlier in the A.S. Garg inquiry Commission, and now in the Bhullar episode.’’For Akalis, who were on the defensive after the registration of cases against them on corruption charges, the case has suddenly appeared as weak spot of the government. This is also illustrated by the fact that Bhullar is blaming the Akali Dal for dragging his name in the controversy and has referred to former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s allegation against him as the reason for his resignation.According to him, Badal’s relative and former Congressman, Surinder Singh Kairon, has played a major role in mentioning his name in the FIR in the case. Kairon’s son, Adesh is married to Badal’s daughter. ‘‘My son is a prime witness in the case where Kairon’s other son, Gurpartap made an attempt on life of one, Peter, during the Assembly elections, and that is why Kairon is targetting me,’’ he alleges. Interestingly, before Kairon quit the Congress in 1997, he and Bhullar were on the best of terms.Asked whether the prime accused, Bakshish Singh was his supporter, Bhullar replied in the affirmative. ‘‘Every village has two factions. In Bhikhiwind, the Akalis were led by Gurdial Singh while Bakshish Singh, who led the Congress, was my supporter,’’ he said.Badal, on the other hand, blames the Congress for the events. ‘‘I left Punjab as the most peaceful state, but in three months Congress regime has introduced bitterness and violence and created a Bihar like situation in the state.’’
