Mansa: Talks between the Parvinder Singh Jhotta Justice Committee and the special investigation team (SIT) failed to reach a breakthrough for the third time on Friday, with the committee refusing to withdraw its demand for the resignations of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and director general of police (DGP).
The SIT said it did not have the authority to act on the demand for the resignations. In response, the committee asked the government to send a panel with the power to consider all its demands, suggesting that the state cabinet could be involved.
The SIT reportedly accepted 12 of the committee’s demands and assured members that they would be addressed. However, no agreement was reached on the resignations of the chief minister and the DGP.
Following the meeting, the committee announced that its agitation would continue and called for statewide protests involving the burning of brooms on October 25. It also demanded that the proposed trauma centre at Khiala be named after Jhotta.
The meeting was attended by government representatives, including Apneet Riyait, Kanwaljit Kaur Brar, deputy commissioner Navjot Kaur and deputy inspector general Harjit Singh. The SIT expressed hope that a solution could be reached at the next meeting.
Jhotta’s wife, Manpreet Kaur, along with committee members Manik Goel, Gurjant Singh and others, said the government should send representatives empowered to take decisions on all the demands.
The committee also criticised the state government for limiting its tribute to Jhotta in the assembly, arguing that the circumstances surrounding his killing and the drug issue should have been debated. It alleged that opposition members were not allowed to speak and accused the Speaker of favouring the government.
