Punjab advocate general hits back at Sidhu

New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) Punjab Advocate General A.P.S. Deol, on Saturday slammed State Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had demanded his resignation for representing two accused in the sacrilege and police firing case. Deol has alleged that Sidhu is trying to garner political mileage.

Deol said, Sidhu was spreading misinformation to gain political advantage. "Sidhu's repeated utterances seek to derail the efforts of the Punjab government to ensure justice in the drugs matter and the sacrilege case," Deol said in a statement.

Sidhu had objected to the appointment of A.P.S. Deol as state Advocate General and Iqbal Preet Sahota as Director General of Police. Sidhu had cited these as one of the reasons for quitting from his post as party chief but on Friday said he had withdrawn his resignation.

Deol said, "There is a concerted attempt by vested interests to malign the functioning of Congress Party in view of upcoming elections in Punjab for their selfish political gain by politicising the constitutional office of the Advocate General of Punjab."

Deol had represented former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, who headed the state police six years ago during the incidents of sacrilege and a police firing on protesters.

In his resignation letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu has written: "The collapse of man's character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress."

One of the reasons behind Sidhu's resignation was Congress government appointing Deol as its Advocate General. This led to the government coming under fire from the Opposition, as Deol was till recently counsel for former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, the police chief during the incidents of sacrilege and police firing on protesters.

Sidhu told the media that the Advocate General and the DGP were two important officers to take the issues of Bargari sacrilege and drugs to a logical conclusion.