Protocol row: Sidhu takes guard of honour with Congmen in tow; two cops face action
CHANDIGARH/FEROZEPUR: When it comes to protocol, Navjot Singh Sidhu can unfurl a controversy or two. The Punjab local bodies minister, who presided over the Independence Day function at Ferozepur on Tuesday, took the guard of honour with four Congress leaders in tow, including former minister Inderjit Singh Zira, against protocol. This time, a breach in his presence has resulted in action against two policemen.
According to protocol, the minister taking the guard of honour has to be accompanied only by the deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police (SSP), besides a police guard holding the salute. A picture of the event doing the rounds on social media shows how, besides the DC and SSP, former minister Zira, MLA Satkar Kaur, local Congress unit chief Chamkaur Dhindsa and a leader named HS Khosa boarded the open top Gypsy.
As a result, on Wednesday, DSP (city) HSDaud got a showcause notice and inspector Ranjit Singh was suspended for the protocol breach.
Deputy commissioner Ramvir acknowledged the violation. “A probe to be completed within three days has also been assigned to the SSP,” he said.
It is not first time that Sidhu has fumbled on protocol. He had forgotten to shake hands with governor VP Singh Badnore after taking oath as a minister and had to be reminded to do so. SULK ING OVER THE PRIDE OF PLACE
While Zira had a field day in Ferozepur, there was heartburn among aspiring ministers in the Congress over deputy commissioners presiding over the official functions. In districts where no minister was deputed, MLAs were keen to preside over the functions.
Asked to follow the protocol, a sulking Mohali MLA Balbir Sidhu arrived at the venue only after the ceremony ended. Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, another hopeful for a ministerial berth, too was keen to preside over the function in his constituency but was read the rulebook that only those with official positions in the government can preside over official functions.
The 117-member Punjab assembly can have 18 ministers, including the chief minister. But Capt Amarinder Singh is in no hurry to fill the posts despite growing unease among party MLAs. He is not too keen to accommodate some five- and four-time winners or young proteges of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Appointment of some of his favourites might ruffle feathers of many others. So, the suspense is on and the cabinet expansion has been delayed till municipal polls to ensure dissenters do the party no damage.