Brief
Punjab minister Cheema questions new Congress chief Singh on anti‑sacrilege bill
Cheema also criticised Singh’s record as sports and education minister and cited a Supreme Court‑set‑aside recruitment case.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday asked newly‑appointed Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh whether he supports the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and why he never raised drug‑abuse or sacrilege issues while in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), PTI reported.
What happened
Cheema raised the questions in a media interaction after Singh’s appointment on Friday, which followed the resignation of former Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Cheema alleged that Singh, a former Olympian, remained silent on drug scourge and sacrilege incidents during the SAD’s tenure.
What the reports add
The PTI feed noted that Cheema claimed Singh said one Congress faction supported the anti‑sacrilege bill while another did not, prompting Cheema to ask which faction Singh now leads. Cheema also said Singh “badly failed” as sports and education minister, citing the Supreme Court’s setting aside of the recruitment of 1,158 assistant professors for procedural violations.
What was said
Cheema told reporters, “I want to ask the new Punjab Congress president which faction of the Congress he was leading now,” and added that the sports budget under Singh was “miniscule.”
How it came about
Singh began his political career with the SAD in 2012, won the Jalandhar Cantonment seat, was suspended in 2016, then joined Congress and won the seat again in 2017 and 2022. His recent elevation to party president came amid internal rifts that threatened the party’s campaign for next year’s assembly elections.
Key facts
- Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema asked new Congress president Pargat Singh if he supports the anti‑sacrilege bill. (news18.com)
- Cheema criticised Singh for not raising drug‑abuse and sacrilege issues while in the SAD. (news18.com)
- The Supreme Court set aside the recruitment of 1,158 assistant professors made during Singh’s tenure as education minister. (news18.com)
Sources
- [1] news18.com — originally reported as “Do you support anti-sacrilege bill or not: AAP leader Cheema asks Pargat Singh”
