Punjab: Cong MLA Khaira claims portion of his ancestral house demolished without prior notice

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa, AICC general secretary and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and former minister Pargat Singh in a joint statement warned the Aam Aadmi Party government against the brutal abuse of power out of sheer political vendetta.

A gate and a portion of the structure near the residence of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira were demolished by the district authorities in an anti-encroachment drive in Ramgarh village in Bholath in Kapurthala, with the legislator alleging that the demolition took place without serving him any notice. Khaira called his supporters before the drive started and slammed the AAP government for the action. He described the demolition as the ''dangerous introduction of bulldozer politics'' in Punjab by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann under the directions of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal ''to silence voices of criticism and democratic dissent''. The Congress MLA claimed that a portion of his legitimate ancestral house in his native village, a property where his family has been residing for more than 200 years, was illegally demolished by the district administration using heavy police force. Khaira alleged that he was neither served any prior notice nor given an opportunity of hearing before carrying out the demolition. He claimed that he possesses complete documentary records of ownership and asserted that not even an inch of his village property is illegal or unauthorised. Khaira said he will soon approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the demolition of his lawful property. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress leaders strongly condemned the demolition. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa, AICC general secretary and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and former minister Pargat Singh in a joint statement warned the Aam Aadmi Party government against the ''brutal abuse of power out of sheer political vendetta''. ''This is too much'', they warned. In a joint statement, the Congress leaders also cautioned the officials against doing the ''illegal and unlawful'' bidding of the AAP government, which was already on its way out. ''Nobody is coming to save you, when you will be held to account for the sins of your omission and commission, so beware,'' the Congress leaders said. The Congress leaders maintained that demolishing the outer wall of Khaira's ancestral house in Ramgarh village in the Bholath assembly segment was a ''clear act of political vendetta aimed at silencing him''. ''The ruling party and its leaders are miserably mistaken that they can intimidate and arm twist the Congress leaders and stop them from exposing the government's failures,'' they said, while alleging that the latest action only reveals the AAP's desperation and frustration after completely having lost the public support, he said. ''Do not set a wrong precedent,'' the Congress leaders warned AAP. ''Your time is up as your countdown has started and our time is coming and you will be held to account for every action,'' they said. The senior Congress leaders also served a categorical ultimatum to the government officials and the police against going the extra mile to please and appease their political masters in intimidating the Congress workers and leaders. ''Everything is being noted. Everything is being recorded. Nothing will be forgotten. Nothing will be forgiven,'' the leaders said. BJP leader and Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia also condemned the demolition of the boundary wall. In a post on X, Sirsa said, ''Ever since @AAPPunjab came into power, Arvind Kejriwal has tried to misuse Punjab Police to threaten his political opponents. What Punjab Police did at residence of @SukhpalKhaira is repeat of same. ''An act which can only be termed disgraceful, vindictive and a gross abuse of state power. CM @BhagwantMann Ji, remember that; political power is not always permanent and every unlawful act as you are Constitutional head will have to be answered. Punjab is watching and justice will prevail.'' SAD leader Majithia said on one hand, the law and order situation has totally collapsed in Punjab and on the other, the AAP government was trying to suppress the voice of opposition leaders through the police.

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