Jakhar skips reply to Cong disciplinary panel’s notice

Was given time till Monday to respond to show-cause notice issued for alleged anti-party statements

CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar has not replied to the showcause notice issued by the party’s disciplinary action committee (DAC) for his “anti-party statements” during the state assembly elections and alleged “derogatory” remarks against former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

The committee headed by veteran leader AK Antony, which had sent the notice on April 11, had given him a week to reply. The deadline ended on Monday. According to sources close to Jakhar, he has taken the notice as an affront and is in no mood to reply. He may, however, write to the Congress president soon.

DAC member secretary Tariq

Anwar confirmed that no reply has been received from Jakhar. “We will wait till tomorrow for his response to the notice,” he said.

The lack of response may not go down well with the disciplinary panel. However, any action against the senior leader, who headed the state unit in Punjab till nine months ago, could further escalate infighting in the state unit that is beset with deep divisions.

Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu and some other former MLAS had met Jakhar at his Panchkula residence on Friday to express solidarity with him. All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Raminder Awla has also come out in his support.

The allegations

The DAC had issued showcause notices to Jakhar and former Union minister KV Thomas for their remarks and actions. The disciplinary action against Jakhar was sought by AICC secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary for speaking against the party and using “highly derogatory” language against a party leader.

During the state elections, Jakhar had created a flutter in party circles by stating that he was rejected for the chief minister’s post for being a Hindu and blamed “senior advisers sitting in Delhi” for the decision. In another statement, he claimed that at the time of selection of then chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s successor, 42 of the 79 Congress MLAS had backed him and only two were with Channi, whom the party leadership picked for the post.

Chaudhary, who wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi

last week, pointed out the adverse impact of these statements on support for the party in the community not only in Punjab but also in neighbouring states. Jakhar was also accused of encouraging factionalism in the party. “The letter was referred to the AICC Disciplinary Action Committee by the Hon’ble Congress president for necessary action,” according to the show-cause notice.

There was also a demand for action from a section of party leaders, including former minister Raj Kumar Verka and Gurkirat Singh Kotli, who accused Jakhar of using “derogatory language” against Channi and the Scheduled Caste community in an interview to a TV channel.

Jakhar, who had not named anyone in his remarks, responded to the criticism by saying that attempts were being made to distort his comments and give them a communal colour. “If anyone has been hurt by my comments, I express regret,” he had said. A three-time former MLA from Abohar and ex-mp from Gurdaspur, Jakhar was the Punjab Congress president from 2017 to 2021.