Randhawa files RTI for order’s copy; NHAI officials say decision ‘political’
Punjab cooperation minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has taken his fight over names of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal on the plaque of foundation stone for Kartarpur corridor to the doors of Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari.
ANI FILE■ Punjab minister SS Randhawa covers Congress leaders’ names with black tape to avoid sharing space with Akalis on the foundation stone of the Kartarpur corridor project in Gurdaspur.The passage on the Indian side from Dera Baba Nanak will be built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Gadkari was present at the ceremony, along with vice-president Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday.
The minister and Dera Baba Nanak MLA had refused to share his name on the plaque with that of Badals by putting a black tape over it while rural development minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa had declined to share the dais with Sukhbir and his wife, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
In response to Randhawa’s letter to the CMO, its officials said they were not kept in the loop regarding names on the plaque. CM’s additional principal secretary, Girish Dayalan, said he had reached there in the morning. “The event was organised by the NHAI and they got names and seating plan vetted from their head office or the ministry. The CMO had no role,” he said.
NHAI officials HT spoke to said names on plaque are always a political decision. In case country’s president or vice-president are the invitees, the file also goes for approval to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Its chairman Sanjeev Ranjan, who was also present at Monday’s event, could not be reached for a comment.
Randhawa in his RTI filed online on Wednesday has sought a certified copy of the order or file on which the decision to include the names of Badal, Sukhbir and Harsimrat in the plaque and invitations was taken, including the copy of the noting.
He has also sought information on whether the names of people who are not a part of central or state government can be engraved in the foundation stone for a ceremony like this one.
“It was clear breach of protocol and though it is unfortunate that the row erupted at such a solemn occasion, the Centre cannot be allowed to run roughshod over states to take credit,” Randhawa said.
Tript Bajwa said he had refused to share stage with Badals as they did not deserve to be seated on the dais as per protocol nor do they deserve credit for the corridor. “No matter how hard BJP tries to give lifeline to Badals before the Lok Sabha polls, they have lost face among people of Punjab,” he said.
Some Congress MLAs say the CM was forced to rethink after getting trolled on social media for his Pakistan-bashing. “People are questioning him on the timing of his tirade. He is taking on his minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for going to Pakistan when he too has done so during times when relations between the two countries were rocky,” a MLA said.
In a belated move to assuage feelings of his angry ministers and MLAs, the CM had later issued a statement on Tuesday saying Congress MLAs were rightly aggrieved about Badals’ names being on the foundation stone plaque. “The government of India is making the road and protocol prohibited the inclusion of their names,” he had said.