Akali Dal sets up disciplinary committee after controversy

CHANDIGARH - The ruling Akali Dal in Punjab Friday announced the setting up of a disciplinary committee to ensure discipline among party leaders and workers.

Akali Dal secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said here that the committee, headed by senior vice president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and comprising four other senior leaders, would ensure that discipline is maintained in the party.

The move follows the controversy arising this week out of the statements of Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, who is a nephew of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, over the debt trap that Punjab is heading for.

The finance ministers statements had given an indication that his thinking on policy issues was at variance with other top leaders in the government and the party.

Chief Minister Badal had, without naming Manpreet Badal, Thursday said that indiscipline in the party would not be tolerated and no leader was above the party.

The chief minister’s statement came just hours after Manpreet Badal claimed that he had apprised the chief minister about his (Manpreets) stand on the debt issue and he claimed that the chief minister had issued him a “clean chit”. The finance minister made a claim at a hurriedly called press conference here Thursday.

Three legislators, who had attended the press conference with the finance minister, Friday claimed that they had only gone to enquire about his health as he was recently suffering from dengue.

They said that they had nothing to do with Manpreet Badals press conference.