FRESH ROW OVER PRESENCE OF CM’S SON AT OFFICIAL SECURITY MEET

SLAMMING THE PRESENCE OF RHYTHMJIT AT THE MEET, BJP ACCUSED THE CONG GOVT OF VIOLATING THE RULES OF THE CONSTITUTION

NEW DELHI: A fresh controversy broke out in the Punjab unit of Congress on Sunday, after chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s son, Rhythmjit Singh, was seen seated at an official meeting convened to discuss the law and order situation.

The high-level meeting, chaired by Channi, was attended by senior police officials, including the Director General of Police (DGP) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota. Sahota, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service officer, was given the additional charge of Punjab director general of police on September 25.

The viral pictures of the meeting, however, triggered sharp reactions from the BJP.

“The Chief Minister is well aware of ‘governance rules’ as he is a former minister and a threetime MLA. The credibility, dignity while respecting the rules of the constitution should always be maintained,” said state BJP president Ashwani Sharma.

He also attacked senior bureaucrats for allowing the CM’S son to remain seated in the official meeting. “It is unfortunate that senior bureaucrats, well aware of rules and norms, allowed this error to happen.”

Cabinet minister Pargat Singh, who holds the sports portfolio, was also among the attendees.

According to experts, the presence of a family member of the chief minister or that of any minister is in violation of the Rules of Business of the state government. Such a scenario, they said, violates the Official Secrets Act, as sensitive matters, which the CM and ministers take oath to keep confidential, are taken up in official interactions.