News from MLA Bholath and Official Spokesperson Mr. Sukhpal Singh Khaira

To 03.07.2009

Gen. Retd. S.F. Rodrigues,

His Excellency Governor,

Punjab.

Subject: Demand for Judicial probe into resolutions passed by the BJP executive meeting held at Jalandhar on 24-25^th June 2009 against illegal and unconstitutional working of the State Govt.

Dear Sir,

Although the Congress party has been raising issues of political violence, emergence of various types of mafia in the State, yet the Badal Govt. has preferred to push these allegations under the wraps to avoid embarrassment with the logic that these charges are baseless and raised by the opposition for political mileage.

Through this letter, I wish to draw your attention to extremely important issues of public importance raised by the BJP in its executive meet as stated above (copy of resolutions attached). The BJP has reiterated the charge of political violence in the state an issue the congress has been consistently charging the Badal Government with. Taking the instance of the beating up and assault on Maj. Retd. G. S. Benipal Tehsildar Ludhiana, the BJP has accused Akali Goon’s of creating terror in the State. Similarly the BJP in its resolutions has decried the emergence of sand mafia besides the already existing land and liquor mafia operating in Punjab with the blessings of the Govt.

The congress party alleges that at present the Badal family through its frontmen and active support and machinations of Sh. Bikram Majithia have virtually taken over the trades of quarrying of sand, transport, bulk liquor and cable network in Punjab. The state exchequer continuous to suffer on revenue income from these trades running into hundreds of croroes annually because the mafia has pooled in to corner these trades bypassing appropriate Govt. rules. Had there been proper and transparent auction into the sand mining in the state, it alone could have generated over Rs. 500 crores to the State exchequer, but now a pool by mafia has taken over this trade for a very meagre amount.

The assault on the Tehsildar Ludhiana has very serious and alarming ramifications since the said Tehsildar had raised the issue of sale of fake stamp paper in the state. The racket of fake stamp paper is not only limited to Ludhiana district but is operative in the whole of Punjab with dimensions of the erstwhile infamous Telgi seam that was unearthed in the country a few years ago.

Although the BJP has buckled under pressure from the Badal family and has been in an old habit of double facetted policy of “running with the hare and hunting with the hound” and prefers to work under same pay, same conditions after raising serious issues. Yet the Congress feels that as a responsible opposition party there needs to be a thorough judicial probe into serious allegations slapped by none other than the alliance partner of the ruling SAD Govt.

Therefore, being the constitutional head of the State Govt. the Congress urges you to set up a Judicial Commission of inquiry, preferably by a sitting judge of the High Court to probe the above stated matters of public importance and loss of revenue to the State exchequer at once. So that the truth can emerge.

With Regards,

Sukhpal Singh Khaira

MLA Bholath and Official Spokesperson