Akali Dal wants Governor Barnala’s sacking

CHANDIGARH - Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal Thursday demanded that Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, a former chief minister, be sacked from his post for “politically motivated” statements against the party and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The Akali Dal has requested President Pratibha Patil to sack Barnala, who had been an Akali Dal leader himself earlier.

Akali Dal secretary Daljit Singh Cheema said that the decision to seek the sacking of the Tamil Nadu governor was taken after a meeting of the Akali Dal leadership here Thursday in which the recent statements and activities of Barnala were analyzed.

He said that Barnala, during a recent visit to Punjab, had given a political statement criticizing the party and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Barnala himself was chief minister of Punjab (1986-87).

“Keeping in view the political statements being given by Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala in various newspapers, the Shiromani Akali Dal requested the honourable President of India to immediately dismiss Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala from the post of Governor of Tamil Nadu,” Cheema said.

He said the party felt that from his recent actions, it appeared that Barnala was

lobbying for a particular political group and using the governor’s office to re-establish his family in Punjab politics.

Cheema said that Barnala has not only criticized the working of the state government, but also made personal, derogatory and politically motivated statements against the Punjab chief minister. He added that the governor also made critical comments on the internal working of the Akali Dal as a party.

The Akali Dal leader said that Barnala was indulging in politics and lowering the dignity of the high office of the governor.