The murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead last year, led to a war of words in Punjab Assembly on Thursday with the Congress accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of sharing information on the pruning of security cover of Moosewala which was the direct reason behind his murder.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly, Congress legislator from Bholath, Sukhpal Singh Khaira reminded the treasury benches that Moosewala’s parents Balkaur Singh and Charan Kaur on Tuesday had staged a ‘dharna’ outside the House, seeking justice in the murder of their son.
Khaira said the parents had demanded action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s media advisor Baltej Pannu for allegedly sharing information about the withdrawal of security cover of several people, including Moosewala, on social media, a day before the singer’s murder.
Sharing information about the security pruning of Moosewala was the direct reason behind the singer’s murder, said Khaira.
Punjab Cabinet minister Aman Arora informed the House that police booked 40 persons in connection with the Moose Wala murder case, of which 29 had been arrested while two were neutralised. A process of extraditing Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, the alleged mastermind behind the murder is going on, he said, adding that two charge sheets have been filed in the case.
Arora said giving or withdrawal of security cover comes out in public domain and it is not a rocket science. Then a heated exchange took place between members of the treasury benches and the Congress MLAs.
Minister Arora accused the Congress members of misguiding the people, saying that Moosewala’s security was only partially withdrawn. Arora said Moosewala did not take his two remaining gunmen and his bullet proof vehicle along on that day. Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on 29 May last year.
Taking on the government over the law and order issue, Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the parents of Moosewala were demanding delivery of justice in the murder case of their son. On this, Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that CM Mann would meet Moosewala’s parents after 20 March.
A heated argument ensued between Dhaliwal and Warring. Dhaliwal accused the Congress and Akalis of playing politics on the “thousands of bodies” after 1980, prompting the Congress MLAs to protest against the minister, eventually leading to pandemonium in the House.
The Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House and raised slogans against the AAP government. The treasury benches led by minister Dhaliwal also shouted slogans against the Congress members while the Speaker pleaded with the MLAs not to raise slogans.
Following this war of words with the AAP members, the Congress MLAs walked out of the House.