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Hitting back at Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa over his remarks concerning Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam, former state Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Friday that Randhawa never complained about her when he was a minister earlier and that she had been coming for 16 years with clearances from the Centre.
In tweets made by Raveen Thukral, his media advisor, Amarinder Singh accused Randhawa of resorting to personal attacks. Amarinder Singh had resigned last month and had said that he had been let down by the Congress leadership. Randhawa said earlier in the day that the state government will conduct a probe to ascertain Aroosa Alam, who has been visiting Amarinder Singh for several years, has links with the ISI. "They're (Capt Amarinder Singh) now saying that there's threat from ISI. We'll look into the woman's connection with it (ISI). Capt kept raising drones issue coming from Pakistan for last 4.5 years," Randhawa said. "So Captain first raised this issue and later got BSF deployed in Punjab. We will ask DGP to look into this matter," he added. Randhawa also said Aroosa's visa was extended from time to time. Amarinder Singh said Randhawa had made "tall promises on Bargari and drugs cases" and people were still waiting for promised action. "So now you are resorting to personal attacks Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. One month after taking over, this is all you have to show to the people. What happened to your tall promises on Bargari and drugs cases? Punjab is still waiting for your promised action," Amarinder Singh said. "You were a minister in my cabinet Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Never heard you complain about Aroosa Alam. And she had been coming for 16 years with due GoI clearances. Or are you alleging that both NDA and Congress-led UPA governments in this period connived with Pak ISI?" he added. The former chief minister said that the state DGP had been put "on a baseless investigation at the cost of Punjab's safety". "What I am worried about Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is that instead of focusing on maintaining law and order at a time when terror threat is high and festivals are around the corner, you have put Director General of Police, Punjabon a baseless investigation at the cost of Punjab's safety," he said. Amarinder Singh had said earlier this week that he will launch a new political party soon to fight the forthcoming assembly polls in the state and is hopeful of a tie-up with BJP if the ongoing protest by farmer unions against three farm laws is resolved "in farmers' interest". Punjab is slated to go to the polls early next year. (ANI)
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