Tarn Taran Cong chief quits party over ‘inaction’ in hooch tragedy
TARN TARAN: Tarn Taran District Congress Committee (DCC) president Manjit Singh Ghasitpur resignedn from the post and the party on Wednesday over the government’s “inaction” in the recent hooch tragedy that killed 123 people.
Ghasitpur, who had fought 2007 assembly polls on the party’s ticket from Tarn Taran, said “he can’t stay in a party whose leaders are involved in the illicit liquor trade”. He also attacked the Amarinder-led government for “not fulfilling” the promises made to the people before the 2017 assembly election.
Ghasitpur was appointed DCC chief in January 2019. His father Mukhtiar Singh was also a Congress leader and was killed in 1988, allegedly by militants.
“Amarinder had taken an oath to eradicate drugs in the state. But our government couldn’t fulfil any of the promises in four years,” he said. He said smuggling of illicit liquor and drugs is still rampant. “Tarn Taran district was the worst hit in the hooch tragedy. I did talk to the state party chief Sunil Jakhar and requested him to ensure prompt action. It is shameful that some legislators of our party are involved in the illegal trade,” he said.
Ghasitpur also said that he had sought time from Amarinder Singh for a meeting on hooch tragedy, but it was not given.
CONGRESS TERMS IT DRAMA
Rubbishing Ghasitpur’s claims as pompous, false, laughable and motivated, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s political secretary Capt Sandeep Sandhu said it was a drama for the Tarn Taran unit was dissolved four months ago for restructuring. He said Ghasitpur’s claim of seeking time for meeting with the chief minister were also fallacious and untruthful. “He is free to decide his own course but must refrain from making unfounded allegations for forwarding his narrow political agenda at behest of opposition,” Sandhu added.