Amritsar, August 6: The Punjab cabinet on Thursday sought dismissal of Congress's Rajya Sabha MPs Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo from the party after the lawmakers criticised their own state government over the recent hooch tragedy. According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the state cabinet demanded immediate expulsion of Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo from the Congress over "anti-party" and "anti-government" activities. Punjab Hooch Tragedy Widens Rift in Congress, Two MPs Target Amarinder Singh Govt Seeking CBI Probe.

"Punjab cabinet today pitched for immediate expulsion Congress MPs Pratap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo for their anti-party and anti-government activities. Cabinet ministers sought dismissal of the duo for attacking their own Congress government in the state over the hooch tragedy," news agency ANI quoted the CMO as saying. Bajwa and Dullo have been criticising the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh-led government over the illegal liquor business in the state. Won't Spare The Guilty in Hooch Tragedy: Punjab CM.

Earlier this week, Bajwa and Dullo, both former presidents of Punjab Congress, met state Governor VP Singh Badnore and alleged “clear-cut failure” on the part of the state administration and claimed the tragedy could have been averted had the chief minister acted in time on their complaints about illegal liquor businesses. They sought an “impartial and thorough” probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

CM Amarinder Singh had suspended seven Excise and Taxation Officers and Inspectors, along with two DSPs and four SHOs of Punjab Police, in connection with the hooch tragedy, which has so far claimed over 100 lives in the three districts of Tarn Taran, Amritsar rural and Gurdaspur. He had also asked Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta to apprehend every person involved in the case and move swiftly to ensure stringent action against them.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 06, 2020 05:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).