Dhillon must apologise for remark, says SAD Barnala unit

Bathinda: Angry with Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon over his remarks about former Barnala MLA Malkit Singh Keetu, the district team of Shiromani Akali Dal and Keetu's son have asked Dhillon to apologise in a week or they will seek legal recourse. Kewal Singh Dhillon, while assuming the charge as state BJP president on June 3, had called ex-MLA Malkit Singh Keetu a ‘gangster' and said he was into selling illegal liquor. Dhillon had twice defeated Keetu from Barnala Assembly in 2007 and 2012, while Keetu won as an independent candidate in 1997 and as a Shiromani Akali Dal nominee in 2002. Keetu was gunned down on Oct 29, 2012. Speaking to media persons at a gurdwara in Barnala on Saturday, ex-MLA Balbir Singh Ghunas, SAD Bhadaur Assembly in-charge Satnam Singh Rahi, SAD Mehal Kalan Assembly in-charge Nath Singh and SAD Barnala Assembly in-charge Kulwant Singh, who is the son of Malkit Singh Keetu, said that Dhillon had insulted a person who died over 13 years ago and, during his lifetime, was close to the residents of Barnala. Despite being illiterate, Keetu twice won from Barnala as an independent and SAD candidate. "Calling him a gangster is like insulting people. We will wait for a week for Dhillon to apologise or we will seek legal remedy and will decide the next course of action," he said. Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Barnala Congress MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhillon also assailed Kewal Singh Dhillon for the remarks. Defending his remark, Kewal Singh Dhillon had said he was speaking in another context that BJP will not tolerate gangsterism and those into drugs. MSID:: 131549564 413 |