A video of Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, wearing garlands, standing through the sunroof, waving his hand with a Punjabi song playing in the background has gone viral on the social media on Friday — inviting the opposition parties’ ire and the demand to sack the “flying” minister.
The video, which was shared in large numbers by the social media users, especially on Twitter and Facebook, also shows the Minister’s two security personnel dangling out of one of the SUV’s windows in the convoy. While Bhullar is in Ford Endeavour, two Maruti Gypsies of Punjab Police are escorting, and a white BMW is seen following the cars.
The video has been shot while the convoy is passing through the fields near the national highway.
In his defence, the Minister said that the video is three-month-old when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won by a landslide in Punjab, and “has been made viral by opposition parties”.
“I am a responsible and law-abiding citizen of this country. This is a conspiracy to discredit me,” said the Minister, in his tweet.
The Minister’s stunt is being slammed not only by the opposition leaders but also the social media users who also question why is he putting the lives of his security personnel at risk. Some users also point out that it is illegal to travel sitting on the roof of the car.
Bhullar was among the first 10 to take oath in the new Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He had defeated five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s son-in-law and former Minister Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon from Patti by a margin of 10,999 votes in Punjab Assembly elections earlier this year.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal should take immediate action against the Transport Minister Bhullar who had “violated the motor vehicle act as well as endangered the lives of his security personnel by sitting on the sunroof of a moving vehicle”.
“It is shocking that the Minister not only chose to sit on the sunroof of his vehicle and exposed security personnel who were trying to stabilize him but also did this to the accompaniment of a song eulogizing consumption of liquor,” said SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema .
Cheema said that in case, Kejriwal does not dismiss this Minister, it will be surprised that he too is in agreement with the act.
“Punjabis do not expect this kind of behavior from their Transport Minister who should lead by example by following traffic rules exemplarily. Since the law is the same for everyone, action should be taken against the Minister for floating section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act,” said Cheema.
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh also demanded Bhullar’s immediate dismissal for doing “roadside stunts and setting a shameful example for Punjab”.
“Bhullar, while demonstrating his street mentality, made a mockery of the glory of Punjab and set an example of ‘Udta Punjab’ that exemplifies AAP,” said Chugh while asking if the ‘Udta Punjab’ image demonstrated by Bhullar had the approval and consent of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
He also questioned the accompanying security officials how could they allow the Minister to have a frivolous roadshow from his luxury car rooftop.
“AAP government in Punjab has been making a mockery of the system and it’s a most disgraceful chapter for Punjab,” he said.