LUDHIANA: The Katia molestation incident involving a grandson of the Chief Minister, Mr, Beant Singh, has cast its shadow of the CM and his cabinet, forcing them to curtail their movements After this loss of face, the Punjab ministers have developed a strange aversion to official functions and rallies, In several cases, Beant Singh and his ministers have cancelled their well-publicized visits at the 11th hour.
The high profile and untiring Chief Minister, who used to attend more than half a dozen functions every day has suddenly become a recluse, attending less than six public functions in the state during the past fortnight.
On Sept, he failed to inaugurate a folk festival at the Punjabi Bhawan here. Similarly, on Sept 4.
He ditched the organizers of major national event, the Amateur Athletic Federation, of India’s domestic circuit meet at Guru Nanak stadium; September 8 too, Beant Singh cancelled three of his functions, scheduled at Ludhiana. Likewise, the Minister for Sports, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, failed to tum up for the inauguration of the 17th junior national khokho championship at Guru Nanak stadium here, on Sept.12, The next day, the Minister of State for Industry, Karam Singh Gill, also cancelled an important visit to an industrial concern. On Sept.15, the Agriculture Minister, Dilbagh Singh, did not attend the seminar on agroindustry organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at Punjab Agriculture University. In fact, Mr. Singh who was to preside over this important seminar kept sitting in the University guest house instead of attending the function. Interestingly, the standard excuse offered is that the Minister was away in Chandigarh in connection with the Katia affair’s fallout. Perhaps, the real reason is that the ruling party does not know how to explain the ignominious deed to the public.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 23, 1994
