Row Over Punjab AG Refuses To Settle? Jakhar Calls Channi ‘Compromised CM’, Tewari Flags ‘Proxy Political Wars’

Charanjit Singh Channi-led cabinet’s decision is being seen as Punjab government yielding to the pressure mounted by state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu for replacing the AG.

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is now facing criticism from leaders of his own party for ousting the advocate general as former state Congress president Sunil Jakhar dubs him as a “really compromised CM”.

Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari, an MP from Anandpur Sahib, also took a dig at his own party government over the matter, saying politicising the AG’s office “undermines” the integrity of constitutional functionaries.

The row over appointment of advocate general doesn’t appear to have settled even after CM Channi-led government on Tuesday accepted the resignation of advocate general APS Deol.

The decision is being seen as the Punjab government yielding to the pressure mounted by state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu for replacing the AG.

CM Channi had said a new advocate general would be appointed.

Expressing disappointment over the development, former state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar wrote in a tweet: “The ouster of a competent yet ‘allegedly’ compromised officer has exposed a ‘really’ compromised CM.”

“Giving rise to a pertinent question - Whose government is it anyway?” Sunil Jakhar, who was among the frontrunners for the post of Punjab chief minister after Amarinder Singh’s resignation, asked.

Meanwhile, senior leader Manish Tewari in a series of tweets alleged that both previous advocate generals of Punjab became “punching bags in proxy political wars”.

“Those who subvert the institution of AG’s office need to remember a lawyer is neither wedded to a client or a brief,” Manish Tewari tweeted.

He stated that since the Punjab government is going to appoint a new advocate general, they would be well advised to peruse rules of professional standards prescribed by the Bar Council of India.

“An advocate is bound to accept any brief in the courts or tribunals or before any other authority in or before which he proposes to practise. He should levy fees which is at par with the fees collected by fellow advocates of his standing at the Bar and the nature of the case,” the senior Congress leader wrote.

“Special circumstances may justify his refusal to accept a particular brief. Politicising AG’s office undermines the integrity of Constitutional functionaries,” he added.

Navjot Sidhu’s Ultimatum

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu had been pushing for the replacement of APS Deol who had represented former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in cases related to the 2015 post-sacrilege police firing incidents.

Navjot Sidhu had also been targeting the Punjab government over appointment of officiating director general of police Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota who was the head of the special investigation team formed by previous SAD-BJP government to probe sacrilege incidents.

Both Charanjit Channi and the PPCC chief were speculated to have tense relations over the latter’s demands pertaining to the appointments of the advocate general and the DGP.

On Monday, Navjot Singh Sidhu while targeting the state government over the advocate general and DGP had said, “(Either) choose compromised officers or the PPCC chief”, news agency PTI reported.

Previously, he had even stepped down in September as the Punjab Congress president over the same concerns.

Last week, he had made it clear that while he had withdrawn his resignation as the Punjab Congress chief, he would resume the charge of the post only when a new advocate general is appointed in place of Deol and a panel for the appointment of a new director general of police comes from the UPSC.

(With Agency Inputs)