New Delhi (Agency): The Congress party and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have raised their voices demanding accountability from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for the decision to dissolve all gram panchayats in the state. Both parties assert that the chief minister and the concerned minister should take moral responsibility for the controversial decision instead of using two senior IAS officers as scapegoats.
The demand for accountability comes in the wake of the Punjab government’s withdrawal of the notification to dissolve the gram panchayats, which was perceived as a major embarrassment for the Bhagwant Mann regime. The government had informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court about the decision reversal.
Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar announced the suspension of two senior IAS officers, citing a “technically-flawed” decision that led to the dissolution of the panchayats. The suspended officers are 1994-batch IAS officer Dhirendra Kumar Tiwari, Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayats, and 2009-batch IAS officer Gurpreet Singh Khaira, Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, and ex-officio Special Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayats.
However, the Opposition parties have criticized the move and pointed fingers at the chief minister and the minister concerned for their roles in the decision. Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, emphasized that the chief minister should take moral responsibility and resign forthright. Bajwa accused the chief minister of attempting to shift blame onto bureaucrats to protect himself and the minister.
Bikram Singh Majithia, a senior leader from the Shiromani Akali Dal, criticized the government’s handling of the situation. He stated that the chief minister and the Panchayati Raj minister are accountable for signing and implementing the decision to dissolve the panchayats six months before their term. Majithia highlighted the involvement of the chief minister and minister in expediting the process by moving files for approval within a short span of time.
The opposition parties are united in their call for accountability from the leadership and argue that rather than scapegoating IAS officers, the chief minister and the minister should take responsibility for their decisions. This political debate has brought attention to the role of leadership in decision-making and the need for transparency and accountability in governance.