The Shiromani Akali Dal expressed surprise at the statement of the leader of the opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Mr. Sunil Jakhar on the issue of appointment of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries by the government of Punjab.
In a statement released from the party head office here today the Party Secretary and Spokesman Dr.Daljit Singh Cheema said that before commenting on the issue the honourable leader of the opposition should have verified the records of the Congress government led by Capt. Amarinder Singh. He asked Mr. Jakhar that if Chief Parliamentary Secretaries are not required then why did the Congress government appointed Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries in their time. He said that this shows the double standards of the Congress party. They are criticizing the SAD-BJP government and at the same time hiding the working of their own government.
Dr. Cheema further said that the Constitutional amendment limiting the size of the cabinet came in the year 2003 and at that time Capt. Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister of Punjab. He said that the Congress party not only appointed the Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries but even went to the extent of amending the provisions of the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualifications) Act 1952 in the year 2005 to declare the office of the CPS as an office of no profit.
He said that it is surprising that the Congress party is criticizing the appointment of CPS knowing well that this precedent was set by none other but the Congress party itself.