majithia-s-arrest-unites-warring-opposition-against-aap

In a complete turn of events, the two opposition parties, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which otherwise are always at war against each other, found common cause in opposing the arrest of the Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday by Punjab Vigilance Bureau.

 

Majithia was arrested from his residence in Amritsar under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He has been accused of amassing assets worth Rs 540 disproportionate to known sources of his income.

 

Publicly, the Aam Aadmi Party leaders right from its supremo Arvind Kejriwal to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have maintained that it was the part of its campaign against drugs, called ‘Yudh, Nashya Virudh’ (war on drugs).

 

Legally, however, so far the government has charged him for amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of income. There is already a case under investigation under the sections of the NDPS against Majithia. Punjab government has constituted a Special Investigation Team in the matter. Majithia has got bail from the Supreme Court in this case.

 

Majithia, who has been an aggressively vocal critic of the government confronted the vigilance bureau officials on camera when the team arrived to arrest him, has accused Chief Minister Mann of trying to settle political scores with him. A combative Majithia put up a brave face in front of the cameras challenging the Chief Minister and telling him he will not be deterred, come what may.

 

In an ironic turn of events, the same Congress leaders, who a few years ago would level similar charges against Majithia that the AAP is levelling against him now, have come to his rescue.

 

Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and another senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who have been long time fierce critics of Majithia and at some stage have levelled the same allegations against him, came to his defence. Both the leaders alleged that the case against Majithia smacked of political vendetta since he has been a vocal critic of the government. Khaira alleged that Punjab has turned into a police state.

 

There is a reason for the opposition leaders rallying around Majithia despite having been his staunch critics in the past. Khaira referred to Kejriwal’s earlier apology to Majithia in the same matter.

 

Arvind Kejriwal, during his election campaign ahead of 2014 General Elections and later, had accused Majithia of being involved in drug smuggling. Majithia had filed a defamation suit against Kejriwal in 2015. Later, in 2018, Kejriwal tendered an unconditional apology and withdrew all allegations against Majithia.

 

Khaira, who at that time was an Aam Aadmi Party legislator, had expressed strong resentment against the apology. Bhagwant Mann, who was the then state convener of the AAP, had resigned from his position in protest against Kejriwal’s apology to Majithia.

 

Also read: Factionalism-ridden Congress faces the heat in Punjab now

 

The AAP that time had justified the apology saying that Kejriwal had been slapped with several defamation cases across the country under a well-thought strategy by the opposition, which required his personal presence in various courts across the country. This was quite demanding and draining for the resources and energy of the party and its leader. It was a tactful move on part of the AAP as it was not only in Majithia’s case, but in some other cases as well, where Kejriwal had avoided legal proceedings.

 

Kejriwal, in his apology, said, “In the recent past, I made certain statements and allegations against you regarding your alleged involvement in drug trade. These statements became a political issue. Now I’ve learnt that the allegations are unfounded. Hence, there should be no politics on such issues. I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and apologise for the same.”

 

Accepting the apology, Majithia told reporters then, “I thank Kejriwal for showing greatness in seeking apology for his remarks made against me. I have told my lawyers that from our side, this case ends as Kejriwal has sought apology. I have asked my counsels to withdraw the defamation case. A person makes mistakes and with the grace of God, if I have the ability to forgive, I will forgive,” the SAD leader had said, “I had said from the beginning that either he will say sorry or he will go to jail. Sending someone to jail is not my intention.”

 

The case under the NDPS against Majithia was actually filed by the previous Congress government after Charanjit Singh Channi replaced Capt Amarinder Singh as the Chief Minister. He spent a few months in the jail. In that case, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India.

 

Earlier, while being the minister, Majithia was also summoned and questioned by the Enforcement Directorate following a statement made by a former DSP accused of drug smuggling, that he (Majithia) had been helping the drug smugglers. However, nothing significant came out of the ED’s questioning of Majithia. The opposition parties that time had alleged that he was being protected by the BJP-led NDA government which had come to power just a few months before and the Shiromani Akali Dal was part of that government. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Majithia’s sister, was a minister in that government. 

 

While Partap Bajwa has now come to Majithia’s defence, in 2014 as the then Punjab Congress president he had sought his removal from the Punjab government. Majithia was a minister in the Akali-BJP government that time.

 

So much has changed in 11 years. The same party and the same leaders who levelled serious allegations against Majithia then, have now come to his defence, alleging police high handedness, saying Punjab has turned into a police state. Both Bajwa and Sukhpal Khaira have also faced police cases during the current AAP regime. While Bajwa got an anticipatory bail, Khaira was arrested twice.

 

Not only the Congress, but the Bhartiya Janata Party leaders, including state president Sunil Jakhar and union minister of state in Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu have also come in support of Majithia, accusing the AAP government of selectively targeting its political opponents and critics.