Sidhu reiterates demand to remove Punjab DGP, AG

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday again strongly demanded replacement of Punjab's police chief and advocate general from his own party's government, saying otherwise 'we will have no face'.

Hours later, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi reminded that the names of 10 police officers have already been sent to the Centre.

He asserted that a 'good' officer will be appointed as the director general of police (DGP) after consulting Sidhu, ministers and MLAs once the state government receives three shortlisted names from the Centre.

'Demand for Justice in Sacrilege cases and for arrest of main culprits behind the drug trade brought our Govt in 2017 & Due to his failure, People removed the last CM. Now, AG/DG appointments rub salt on wounds of victims, they must be replaced or we will have No face!!,' Sidhu said in a tweet.

The development comes three days after Sidhu and Channi held a meeting, following which it was decided to set up a coordination panel for prior consultation on all major decisions of the state government.

Talking to reporters in Morinda on the sidelines of a government function, Channi said a regular DGP is yet to be appointed when he was asked about Sidhu's demand for changing the state police chief and the advocate general.

'I have told Sidhu sahab and he also knows that the names of the police officers who have completed 30 years in service have been sent to the Centre for the appointment of a DGP.

'We have sent the names and the Centre will now send us a three-member panel (for the selection of a regular DGP),' he said.

The state government has sent the names of 10 police officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the appointment of a regular DGP.

After considering their service records and other necessary requirements, the UPSC will send the names of three officers to the state government, which will then select one of them for the post.

To a question, Channi said his government will take everyone along and perform with honesty.

'The party work is being looked after by Sidhu sahab. We should both work in coordination and we are doing so. If anything is not being liked, then we have set up a coordination committee at the party forum where we can discuss it,' he added..

A miffed Sidhu, who had resigned as the Punjab Congress chief a few days back, had raised a question over the appointments of director general of police, state's advocate general and 'tainted' leaders.

He has been seeking removal of senior IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota who has been given the additional charge of Director General of Police of Punjab.

Sahota had remained the head of a special investigation team (SIT) formed in 2015 by the then Akali government to probe sacrilege incidents.

Sidhu attacked Sahota on Thursday, alleging that he wrongly indicted two Sikh men in a desecration case and gave a clean chit to the members of the Badal family.

The cricketer-turned-politician is also raising questions over the appointment of A S Deol as the state's new Advocate General.

Deol was the counsel for former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in 2015 post the sacrilege police firing incidents.

On Saturday, Sidhu had said that he would stand with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi whether he holds any post or not.

'Will uphold principles of Gandhi Ji & Shastri Ji, Post or No Post will stand by @RahulGandhi & @priyankagandhi ! Let all negative forces try to defeat me, but with every ounce of positive energy will make Punjab win, Punjabiyat (Universal Brotherhood) win & every Punjabi win !!,' Sidhu had tweeted on the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on Saturday.

Sidhu's abrupt resignation has triggered a fresh turmoil in the Punjab Congress.

The Congress had replaced Amarinder Singh as Punjab chief minister with Charanjit Singh Channi following a bitter power tussle between Sidhu and Amarinder.