Governor part of Centre’s conspiracy against Punjab: AAP

Chandigarh: The ruling AAP in Punjab Wednesday accused Governor Banwarilal Purohit of playing politics and asked why he has never raised with the Centre the issue of “pending” rural development and National Health Mission funds for the state.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang also claimed that the governor has violated the decorum of the Constitution by not referring to the state government as “my government”.

The AAP’s reaction came after Purohit wrote to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of dereliction of Constitutional duty by not responding to his letters. Purohit had also referred to a Supreme Court order in February which stated that the governor has a right to seek information from the chief minister.

“If governor saab is so concerned about Punjab, then did he ever raise his voice against the Centre’s excesses against Punjab on the financial front? Did he take up with the Centre about stopping the release of the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and NHM funds to the state? Never,” Kang said. The Punjab government has accused the BJP-led Centre of not releasing funds of around Rs 3,500 crore under the RDF. It has also been at loggerheads with the Centre over the funds under the NHM.

Kang also targeted Purohit over the issue of Haryana’s proposal of affiliation of colleges with the Panjab University, saying he supported it despite being the governor of Punjab. The AAP leader alleged that Purohit never took the side of Punjab.

“Be it a matter of Purohit’s address in the Punjab Assembly or the issue of PU, both were unconstitutional for the governor. It means you are playing politics,” Kang alleged. He also questioned the opposition over its silence when the governor came out in support of Haryana on the issue of the affiliation of its colleges with PU.

“Nobody spoke. All (opposition) of them are part of the Centre’s conspiracies against Punjab and their leader in this matter is the governor of Punjab who is playing politics every day,” Kang alleged. “The governor has been part of the Centre’s conspiracy against Punjab,” he added.

Kang also accused the Centre of interfering in the functioning of the elected governments in the non-BJP-ruled states through governors. On the governor accusing the chief minister of not replying to his letters, Kang said the Punjab government replies to the ones that are necessary as per the Constitution. Purohit, however, cannot impose his “wishes” on the elected government, he said.

In February, a row erupted between the governor and the AAP government after Purohit sought certain details, including the process of selecting 36 government school principals for a training seminar in Singapore.

Later, the AAP government moved the Supreme Court, accusing the governor of “refusing” to summon the assembly session.