Cong denies hand, but says will expose ‘erring’ Akalis

Sukhjinder Randhawa

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 2

Even as Punjab Congress chief and party’s Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar remains evasive over the allegations regarding the timings of the rape charge against Akali leader Sucha Singh Langah, he does not rule out more such cases coming to the fore to expose “offending” Akali leaders.He also disassociated the party and its leaders from the video leak in the case.Jakhar alleged that the victim was being exploited by Langah for long and the video was recorded much earlier. It was just that the victim felt confident during the Congress rule to come forward and expose the Akali leader, he said.Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa said: “Why should we do the sting? It is for the Badals to explain the act of their leader. It is not an issue of timings when the act is unpardonable.”When asked about his old rivalry with Langah, he said: “Why is everybody suspecting me? Did I send him to that woman’s house where he committed that sin?”The Congress leaders indicated carrying forwarding the party’s agenda to expose the Akali leaders in Majha, including Bikram Singh Majithia, and BJP candidate Swaran Salaria.Already 40 MLAs led by Randhawa have been pressing upon Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to act against the Akalis who had got “false” cases registered against Congress workers.Sources said local Congress leader in Gurdaspur were using the situation to divert the attention of the voters from issues concerning development.“The base of the Akalis is eroding in Majha. Local SAD leaders are already joining us. The public outrage against the Akalis is visible in rallies,” claimed Randhawa.At loggerheads since 2012

• Sucha Singh Langah contested the Assembly poll from Dera Baba Nanak in 2012, against the Congress’ Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Hence began an intense rivalry between the two.
• Langah lost the poll and the SAD government designated him as the halqa incharge. He did not allow Randhawa, the sitting MLA, to function properly.
• Sukhjinder Randhawa alleged: “Langah had instructed the SSPs of Gurdaspur and Batala that they should not take my calls. On several occasions, I raised the issue of Langah’s corrupt practices.”
• When Randhawa was re-elected in 2017, he became a powerful legislator of Gurdaspur district. There were rumours that his victory would turn out to be disastrous for Langah, although Randhawa has always denied indulging in political vendetta.

Chhotepur’s APP likely to support Cong candidate

Chandigarh: Sucha Singh Chhotepur’s Aapna Punjab Party (APP) is likely to support Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar. Sources said Chhotepur convened a meeting with senior party leaders last week. “Various options were discussed, but eventually we agreed to back Jakhar,” said a senior party leader who attended the meeting, wishing not to be named. “Whether we will support him openly or ask our supporters to silently vote for Jakhar will be taken at a meeting later this week,” he said. When contacted, Chhotepur said the final decision would be taken in a couple of days. Chhotepur was elected MLA twice from Gurdaspur district, once as an Akali candidate and the other time as an Independent. He contested on the AAP ticket from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 and bagged 1.73 lakh votes to finish a creditable third. However, he received only 1,740 votes as the APP nominee from the Gurdaspur seat in this year’s Assembly elections. TNS

Gurdaspur cops initiate probe

Gurdaspur, October 2

The police have started an inquiry into the leak of the video clip involving Sucha Singh Langah and the woman who has accused him of rape. The video had gone viral hours after the victim, a government employee, handed it over to SSP HS Bhullar on September 28. Bhullar denied any lapse on their part. “I had ordered a DSP-rank officer to seal the pen drive. It is impossible that it was leaked from our end,” he said. An officer said they had asked a social networking site to probe the source of the video. “We have zeroed in on certain suspects. Once identified, they will be booked under section 228 A IPC (whoever prints or publishes the name of the rape victim),” said the SSP.  — TNS

Video in poor taste: Jakhar

Chandigarh, October 1

Even as PPCC chief and party’s Gurdaspur candidate Sunil Jakhar today questioned SAD president Sukhbir Badal’s silence on the rape charge against Sucha Singh Langah, he demanded that the video of the Akali leader be taken off the social media sites as it was not in good taste.“While the perpetrator of the act shall face action as per the law of the land, circulation of videos on the social media sites was in bad taste. There is no place for such obscenity in our culture,” said Jhakhar.Targeting BJP candidate Sarwan Salaria’s for defending the Akali leader, Jakhar said this did not absolve Langah of the heinous crime.In Sangrur, Akali MP PS Chandumajra accused the Congress of spreading misinformation about Langah to divert the attention of Gurdaspur voters from development issues. — TNS