Best Lawyers in Chandigarh Rift widens, AAP for disciplinary action against Sunam MLA

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 1

The standoff between the state AAP unit and its Sunam MLA Aman Arora is reaching a flashpoint. While the party’s disciplinary action committee set to meet and discus his act of “indiscipline” on September 6, Arora is adamant that his utterances are in the best interest of the party.

Party sources said the disciplinary action committee would meet on Friday to discuss action to be initiated against Arora, who had taken a stand contrary to the party line on the Bargari sacrilege probe. It seems a “strong action” will be initiated against the Sunam MLA, who is the ninth party MLA to rebel since the party won 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 2017.

Confirming the development, Jasbir Singh Bir, who heads the committee, told The Tribune that the MLA had called this upon himself. “Every party works on discipline and a code of conduct which cannot be breached. If the party had issued a statement, Arora had no business to go public and ridicule it,” he said. Bir said amid widespread public speculation that Arora could join a national party soon and his utterances were part of this design to hit at the party, it was imperative to seek an explanation from him. If found guilty, action would be taken against him, he added.

On Friday, AAP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema, had issued a statement that they had lost all hope of justice in cases pertaining to desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and police firing on protesters as the state and central agencies were pushing it into oblivion and were “trying to shield” real culprits. The next day, Arora objected to and “ridiculed” party leadership for giving up hopes for justice. “Being the principal Opposition party in Punjab, it is our duty to struggle and seek justice,” he had said.

Reacting to the party’s reaction, Arora told The Tribune, that he stuck to his statement, which was given in the best interests of the party. “The leaders are free to do whatever they deem fit. But a party born out of agitation by leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, and seeking justice, cannot tell its supporters to give up hope for justice,” he said.

On downward slope

• AAP, which had won 20 seats in 2017, has been on the downslide.
• The rebellion started with Sukhpal Khaira, Kanwar Sandhu and six other MLAs after Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to Bikram Majithia. 
• While Khaira and Master Baldev Singh joined PEP and contested Lok Sabha elections, Sandhu and three others are yet to make their stand clear.
• Two MLAs Nirmal Singh Manshahia and Amarjit Singh Sandhoa have joined the Congress. 
• Another MLA HS Phoolka has resigned.

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