Sexual exploitation charges on minister: SAD seeks probe against Punjab govt for 'intimidating victim
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Jun, 2023 11:29 AM
Chandigarh, June 13 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Tuesday urged Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to order an inquiry against the Punjab government and others who had intimidated the victim who had accused Cabinet minister Lalchand Kataruchak of sexually exploiting him and forced him to retract his statement.
In a statement here, Majithia said while he had earlier requested the Governor and UT Administrator to order Chandigarh Police to register a case against Kataruchak, now it had become pertinent to probe the sequence of events whereby the victim was forced to withdraw his accusations against the minister.
"It seems Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's earlier statement that all SITs were 'besitte' (without any meaning) was true. It is now clear the SIT was formed to give a clean chit to the minister and that it also caused the victim to retract his allegations."
Urging the Governor to act to save values in civil society, Majithia said "it is shocking that a predator has been given a clean chit by the state. This puts civil society to risk."
Besides urging the Governor to take appropriate steps to ensure justice for the Dalit youth who had been sexually exploited on the promise of a job, he also urged all political parties to unite on this issue and boycott and protest against the minister.
Asserting that the Chief Minister's love for Kataruchak had come in the way of taking action against him, Majithia said it was condemnable that that the Chief Minister had not sacked Kataruchak despite specific advise to do so by the constitutional head of the state.
Majithia also condemned collapse of law and order in the state, asserting recent Rs 8 crore heist in Ludhiana, murder of a jeweller in Moga and dacoity in Amritsar proved the Chief Minister had totally failed as Home Minister.
The meeting witnessed freewheeling interaction by the Prime Minister with the delegation on diverse topics like farmer welfare, youth empowerment, drug free society, National Educational Policy, skilling, employment, technology and Punjab's overall development trajectory.
The students will be provided jobs in Punjab and the UAE, Canada, Europe, Japan and other countries. Sahney is already running two World Skill Centres in New Delhi and Amritsar, providing free skills and jobs to thousands of youth.
The Gurugram police had put up barricades at several entry points on the National Highway, at Shankar Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Signature Tower, Rajiv Chowk and Hero Honda Chowk on the Expressway.
The toffees, according to reports, had been thrown outside their houses and the children picked them and ate them. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident and ordered a probe and directed officials concerned to provide relief to the bereaved families and take necessary action in the matter.
All the victims were migrant workers from Chapra district Bihar and were asleep when the fire broke out. Barring one, the rest were between 23 and 35 years of age. Short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire.
After paying glowing tributes to legendary martyrs Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev here at state-level function in Hussaniwala, the Chief Minister unveiled the anti-corruption number -- 950 120 0200.
