Bhagwant Mann failed miserably as home minister, should be dismissed: Sukhbir

Punjab, June 1 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had failed miserably as the State home minister and should be dismissed immediately for failing to maintain law and order and provide even basic security to the people of Punjab.
In a statement here, the SAD chief said “it seems the law of the jungle has descended on Punjab. No one is safe. Be it the gruesome murder of youth icon Sidhu Moosewala to the RPG attack on the Punjab Police intelligence headquarter to Hindu-Sikh clashes and murder of police officers and the latest incident of looting of a Punjab Roadways bus in broad day light, the breakdown in the law and order situation seems irretrievable”.
Asserting that Punjab was a border State and that its security could not be compromised in this fashion, Badal said “we have an inimical neighbor who is likely to take advantage of this situation to destabilize the State even further unless urgent steps are taken to stem this rot”.
He said a fear-psychosis had entered into the minds of the people who were feeling unsafe due to the free rein given to gangsters who were not only running extortion rackets, but were also indulging in targeted killings. “This situation has led to an increase in petty crime as well as day light dacoities and rampant murders”.
The SAD President said all this was occurring due to the complete breakdown in the command structure of the Punjab Police. “The police force is reporting directly to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who has taken control of the posting and transfer of both civil and police officials in Punjab”.
Asserting that this had compromised the position of the chief minister, Badal requested Mr Mann to reassert his will and lead the State instead of being led from Delhi. He said the chief minister should take regular meetings of senior police officers besides monitoring the law and order situation on a day to day basis”.
He also expressed anguish that the failure of the chief minister to run the Home ministry himself had led to the death of renowned singer Sidhu Moosewala. He said the security cover of Moosewala as well as several other VIPs was removed without taking into account their threat perception. “This lapse was compounded by the chief minister by gloating about this ‘achievement’ on the AAP’s social media portal”.
Badal also informed that he would visit the residence of Moose Wala shortly to express his condolences to the bereaved family.