Chandigarh (The Hawk): After receiving a complaint three months before, regarding the financial execution of the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial project, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) initiated an inquiry into alleged misuse of funds during the execution of the ?315-crore project dedicated to freedom fighters at Kartarpur near Jalandhar, now the VB has summoned Ajit Group of newspapers Editor-in-Chief Barjinder Singh Hamdard on May 29.
Padma Bhushan Hamdard, who was associated with the project since 2012, had quit as member secretary of the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial Foundation and as its managing committee president on April 10, alleging the Aam Aadmi Party government of “repeatedly maligning the name of the memorial by sending police and vigilance teams”.
The opposition parties of the state have condemned the action of AAP government and termed it an attack on freedom of press stating it another step to strangle fair journalism.
Expressing solidarity with Dr Hamdard and describing him as true voice of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today , while condemning the persecution of Padma Bhushan and Managing Editor of the Ajit group - Dr Barjinder Singh Hamdard by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, said the latest act of summoning of Dr Hamdard by the State Vigilance Bureau was a “brazen act of a power drunk chief minister who wanted to exact revenge against the Ajit MD for his principled stand on Freedom of the Press”.
In a statement here, the SAD president expressed solidarity with the Ajit MD and said the SAD would do its utmost to defend the voice of the media in Punjab. “We are also convinced that such cheap pressure tactics cannot silence the voice of Punjab’s conscience and “Punjab di Awaz” – the Ajit newspaper. He also described Dr Hamdard as the true voice of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat and said his contribution in the field of journalism and social life was unmatched”.
Asserting that the intimidation of the Ajit newspaper and Dr Hamdard had shocked Punjabis worldwide, Mr Badal said chief minister Bhagwant Mann first stopped advertisements to the Ajit newspaper. “Then it started intimidating functionaries of the Ajit and now it has stooped down to persecuting its Managing Director. This is the height of vendetta politics and is totally unacceptable in a democracy”.
The SAD President said the AAP government had been trying to muzzle the voice of free media ever since it assumed power in the State. “The government has registered false cases against journalists besides banning web channels and even stopping advertisements to publications which refused to relay its propaganda. It has also proceeded against artists, academicians and intellectuals. The SAD will do its utmost to guard the freedom of the press and democratic values and warns the AAP government not to trample upon civil rights in this manner”.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, State president of Indian National congress twitted, “
Vigilance bureau’s action against Dr. Barjinder S Hamdard, Editor, Daily Ajit, has exposed
AAP Punjab’s dictatorial face. INC Punjab condemns this attack on the Freedom of the Press and Aam Aadmi Party’s revenge against him for his ethical journalism. INC India stands in solidarity with Hamdard Sahab against AAP’s tyranny.”
Sunil Jakhar, BJP leader and former Punjab Congress President, termed the act of the AAP government a step to strangle fair journalism and said, “Vigilance summons to former head of Jang-e-Azadi Foundation, Dr. Barjinder Singh Hamdard, another step to strangle fair journalism. Is this a change?”
Punjab BJP State President Ashwani Sharma, criticizing the AAP government’s action, said, “Live evidence of Aam Aadmi Party's repressive policies and bullying has been found. It is a condemnable incident to summon Sardar Barjinder Singh Ji Hamdard by vigilance. It is clear that because of the bad thinking of the Punjab government, he has been summoned by vigilance which I strongly condemn.”
—Jag Mohan Thaken.