Mann, Cheema have lost moral authority to remain in office: Punjab BJP chief

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Sunday slammed the AAP government over the Sangrur hooch tragedy that claimed 20 lives, saying Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema have lost all moral authority to remain in office.

Jakhar, who visited Gujran village in Sangrur and met the families of the victims, alleged that AAP's illegal and unconditional patronage of liquor mafia in the state was responsible for the tragedy Mann was ''forced'' to finally visit families hit by the hooch tragedy only after learning that he was going there today, claimed Jakhar, adding the chief minister had ''shamefully forsaken Punjab and Punjabis at the altar of his Delhi masters''.

''The CM is more concerned about the fate of (AAP leader Arvind) Kejriwal, already in the dock for his role in the Delhi excise scandal,'' Jakhar said while pointing out that it took Mann over 100 hours to reach people of his own constituency in the time of despair.

Earlier, Mann on Sunday visited Sangrur district to meet the victims' families.

Jakhar alleged, ''Bhagwant Mann and Harpal Cheema have lost all moral authority to remain in office after presiding over deaths of innocent citizens.

''They have got no time for poor families who have lost their loved ones today because of AAP's illegal and unconditional patronage to liquor mafia in the state.'' The plight of the affected families was unbearable, Jakhar said and urged the Election Commission to grant special permission for allowing the state government to immediately disburse maximum compensation to the victims.

''I won't let the CM and his government run away from providing due monetary relief to all of them on the pretext of the model code of conduct,'' Jakhar said.

Precious lives have been lost which could have been saved and both the CM and the FM are directly responsible for these casualties, alleged Jakhar.

He termed the visit by CM Mann and his minister as a mere formality on their part bereft of any sensitivity and morality.

People want a fair and transparent probe and the BJP will keep up pressure to ensure this government which is ''hands in glove with liquor mafia'' in Delhi and Punjab does not go scot-free and is held accountable for the lives lost, said the Punjab BJP chief.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)