DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Rebel Akali MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who is facing a disqualification plea for defecting from the SAD to the AAP last year, has been asked to present his side, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said on Sunday.

Sukhi, who is a two-time Akali MLA from the Banga assembly seat, was appointed as the Aam Aadmi Party's state vice-president for the Doaba zone on Saturday. "Dr Sukhi is an honourable member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. He has all the rights that other members have under the law. He has been given time to present his side," Sandhwan told reporters.

He said Sukhi has been called to present his side in July.

A doctor by profession, Sukhi joined the AAP in August last year in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Advocate H C Arora had filed a petition before the Assembly speaker, seeking Sukhi's disqualification as a member in view of his alleged defection from the SAD to the AAP. Sukhi first became MLA from the Banga assembly seat in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district in the 2017 assembly elections on a SAD ticket. He was again elected as a legislator in the 2022 assembly elections.

He unsuccessfully fought the 2023 Jalandhar parliamentary bypoll.

The AAP earlier appointed Sukhi as chairman of the Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation in the Cabinet rank.

Meanwhile, Speaker Sandhwan said the Punjab government has taken a decision to observe the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur and the 450th foundation day of Sri Amritsar Sahib with unprecedented grandeur and modern global outreach.

The Speaker emphasised that the martyrdom and spiritual legacy of Guru Sahib is not only a matter of faith for Punjab but a universal message of sacrifice, courage, and humanity.

"This is our legacy, glorious and unmatched, and it is our responsibility to take it to the next generations," he stated.

The Punjab government is committed to observing these historic occasions using modern technology, so that the legacy of the Gurus transcends beyond Punjab and India, reaching every corner of the world, he said.

"A WhatsApp number, e-mail ID, and official website have already been set up and published in newspapers to invite suggestions from religious organisations and citizens. These commemorations will be shaped by the will of the people, not just administration," he said.

Sandhwan announced that he will meet various religious sects, organisations, and civil authorities to seek suggestions regarding the event.

The government has already resolved to convene a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, where the teachings and principles of Guru Tegh Bahadur, as well as the importance of heritage preservation, will be discussed.

The government is open to receiving suggestions from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, religious bodies, civil society groups, and citizens, he said.

"This is a call for unity, shared responsibility, and carrying forward the message of Guru Sahib. The government will first collect suggestions, and if needed, also seek active collaboration,"

said the Speaker.

(editor@dailyworld.in)