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Journalism of Courage
PATIALA, Jan 7: PUNJAB Pradesh Congress Committee chief Captain Amarinder Singh, yesterday, shot off a letter warning partymen of strict action if they defied party discipline, even as the PPCC constituted a five-member disciplinary action committee under the chairmanship of former Finance Minister Kewal Krishan. These two developments have come close on the heels of former minister and senior Congress leader Bram Mohindra questioning the PPCC decision to organise a march in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Khalsa.
Reliable party sources told The Indian Express that the decisions were taken at a meeting of senior functionaries of the PPCC held at the residence of the PPCC chief here. The meeting deliberated at length on the situation arising out of the criticism of the PPCC decision (to organise a march) in the press and the demand of senior Congress leaders for strict disciplinary action against Brahm Mohindra.
The letter, issued by PPCC chief, says that the letter be read out to the party workers at DCC meetings so that things were made clear to everybody. The letter warns of strict action against anybody who either challenges the directive of the Congress president, the collective decisions of the PPCC executive and the decision taken by any committee that has been set up.
Referring to the criticism of party programmes, the letter, it is learnt states that this was not only irresponsible but these individuals also played in the hands of the Akali Dal-Bhartaiya Janata Party alliance.
The letter says that every member of the Pradesh Congress was free to raise any issue at the meeting of the party executive, but once a decision was taken by the general body, it would over-ride all personal beliefs. Any criticism of the collective decision of the PPCC executive would invite disciplinary action, it said.
Meanwhile, the PPCC chief, according to Sant Ram Singla, general secretary of the PPCC, has constituted a five-member disciplinary action committee under the chairmanship of Dr Kewal Krishan. Other members of the committee are former acting PPCC chief Harcharan Singh Hero, former PPCC chief Lal Singh, Bal Mukund Sharma and Sardul Singh (all former ministers).
