Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday demanded an immediate resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stating that the latter had lost all moral authority to continue in the chair after participating in the special Vidhan Sabha session proceedings in an inebriated state.
In a statement here, the SAD president said, “Punjabis are shocked that their chief minister has insulted the august house as well as their mandate in this manner.”
Demanding a probe into the entire episode, he called it a matter of concern that Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan did not rise to the occasion to protect the dignity of the house by taking appropriate action, including subjecting the chief minister to the required medical tests.
He further said that the very fact that the chief minister chose to flee the Vidhan Sabha instead of defending himself against the accusation that he was completely drunk indicated his guilt.
Mr Badal also took note that the chief minister resorted to indecent language and expressions that had lowered the image of his post. Asserting that this was not the first time Bhagwant Mann had behaved in this manner, he said, “Earlier the chief minister lowered the image of Punjab on the world level by being unceremoniously de-boarded from a plane in Frankfurt after he consumed an unacceptable level of alcohol.”
Labeling Bhagwant Mann a habitual drunkard, the SAD president said “earlier he entered the sacred premises of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in a drunken state”. He had also committed a similar sin at the Bargari morcha where he was found drunk in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Maharaja.
“Everyone is aware that Bhagwant Mann’s colleagues during his stint in Parliament made official representations to the Lok Sabha Speaker to change their seats as they did not want to sit close to him as he always reeked of alcohol,” he recalled.
Mr Badal also reminded Punjabis that Bhagwant Mann had publicly taken a vow in the name of his mother to abstain from alcohol. “Not only has he betrayed his mother but has also betrayed Punjabis who reposed trust in his leadership”, the SAD president added.