Punjab Assembly uproar: Congress MLAs stage walkout over Sidhu Moosewala case

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 9 (ANI): Punjab Assembly witnessed an uproar as treasury and Opposition benches sparred over the withdrawal of security to the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala last May. Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa staged a walkout from Punjab Assembly over remarks by rural development minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal against his party, amidst demands for justice by the parents of the slain singer. Both AAP and the Congress raised slogans against each other.

Addressing mediapersons outside the assembly, Bajwa said, “The parents of Sidhu Moosewala came here yesterday. They said it has been 11 months since their son was killed. There is no place left where they didn’t go for justice. AAP ministers and leaders kept assuring that the killers will be neutralised and they’ll get justice.”
They came here as the session is in progress and are demanding that even if some arrests have been made, the main culprits continue to walk free and the government knows about it, the Congress leader said.

Meanwhile, Balkaur Singh father of the late rapper had on Tuesday held a protest outside the Punjab Assembly and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the murder of his son. Speaking to mediapersons outside the Punjab Assembly, Singh said no investigation is happening in his favour.
“In the last 10 months, I went to Police and Administration several times. I was assured. But what’s happening here is being done to brush under the carpet the murder of my child. Nothing is going in my favour. So, I had to come to Assembly,” said Balkaur Singh.

MooseWala’s father further said that he will sit outside the Assembly as long as the session continues as the probe is not being influenced but being ended.
I will sit here for as long as the session continues. It (investigation) is not being influenced but being ended. Where is the investigation even taking place? There’s anger among people but why is our government not listening?” said Singh.
He questioned the government about action taken against the gangster Goldy Brar.
“CBI should investigate the matter…Who are these gangsters (arrested in the case), they are just henchmen.

They took the money and shot him dead. The mastermind, who targeted my son…what action is being taken against Goldy Brar?” he asked. Singh alleged that he threatened and said that he will be killed before April 25. “What wrong am I doing? Should I not fight my son’s case? I was threatened on the 18, 24 and 27 that I will be killed before April 25…I would like to tell the Government, to take back my security, I will continue to fight,” he added.

Moosewala, 28, was shot dead on May 29 last year in Mansa, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover. The Punjabi singer was shot at point-blank range and declared dead on arrival at the Mansa civil hospital. The assailants fired over 30 rounds at Moosewala, who was found slumped in the driver’s seat by locals.
The investigation suggested Lawrence Bishnoi was the mastermind of the daylight killing. His close aide Goldy Brar, who is said to be based in Canada, was also under investigation in this case. Police issued a Red Corner Notice against Brar through Interpol.

The incident occurred two days after Punjab Police withdrew the security cover of 424 persons, including that of Moosewala. Moosewala had fought an election from Mansa in the last Assembly election on a Congress ticket but was defeated by AAP’s Vijay Singla. On November 23, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Bishnoi in a case related to the alleged conspiracy to recruit youth to carry out terror strikes in Delhi and other parts of the country.