Upset over Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia for calling him ‘Punjab drug lord’, AAP Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann has resigned from his position. “I’m resigning as a president of AAP Punjab, but my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an “Aam Aadmi” of Punjab,” he tweeted.
ਮੈਂ ਆਮ ਆਦਮੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨਗੀ ਦੇ ਅਹੁਦੇ ਤੋਂ ਅਸਤੀਫ਼ਾ ਦੇ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ ..I m resigning as a president of AAP Punjab …but my fight against drug mafia and all kind of corruption in Punjab will continue as an “Aam Aadmi “ of Punjab
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) March 16, 2018
The incident
The incident occurred on Thursday (March 15), when AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal tendered an apology to Bikram Singh Majithia, former Punjab minister for levelling charges of involvement in drug trade. He said that his allegations were unfounded. “In the recent past, I made certain statements and allegations against you (Majithia) regarding your alleged involvement in the drug trade. These statements became a political issue,” Kejriwal said in his apology letter.
Arvind Kejriwal’s Apology letter to Majithia/ Source: Business Standard
During last year’s state election campaign, Kejriwal criticised Parkash Singh Badal government for corruption and called Bikram Singh Majithia, the then revenue minister a ‘drug lord’.
Hailing from a powerful Badal family, Majithia faces allegations of having links with drug mafia in Punjab. He has denied all the allegations and filed a series of defamation cases against various newspapers and politicians in this connection. Kejriwal has submitted a written apology to an Amritsar Court in one such case. Majithia had filed a criminal defamation case in 2016 against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashish Khetan. Following the apology tendered by Arvind Kejriwal, Majithia said that he would now withdraw the case.
Response from party members
The apology made by Arvind Kejriwal drew flak from his own party members. “We feel Mr Kejriwal should not have apologised. Party volunteers across the State are feeling disappointed. Nothing matters for us more than Punjab. And in our today’s meeting we will take a decision keeping in view sentiments of volunteers and people of Punjab,” said Sukhpal Singh Khaira, one of AAP’s senior leaders.
We’re appalled n stunned by the apology of @ArvindKejriwal tendered today,we don’t hesitate to admit that we haven’t been consulted on this meek surrender by a leader of his stature-khaira @ZeeNews @CNNnews18 @thetribunechd @HTPunjab @PTC_Network @JagbaniOnline @dailyajitnews
— Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) March 15, 2018
“Many people are unhappy (with Arvind Kejriwal’s apology). I hope justice will be done as people like BS Majithia deserve to be in jail,” AAP MP Sanjay Singh tweeted.
Many people are unhappy (with Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to Bikram Singh Majithia). I hope justice will be done as people like BS Majithia deserve to be in jail: Sanjay Singh, AAP Rajya Sabha MP pic.twitter.com/qnP1WzV7GK
— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2018
