SAD party kisi di jaagir nahin hai: Akali MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria

First of all, we (SAD) will have to find out where are we headed. We say we are for democratic values. There have been statements from party president that grassroots workers have the right to expression. But today leaders who raise public issues are being sidelined. I raised the solid waste management issue that concerns lakhs of people of holy city. The incinerator technology to be used in the plant is a failure. While we call Amritsar ‘sifti da ghar’, there is a plan to dump the garbage of areas in and around Amritsar. The proposed site is a kilometer and half from Golden Temple. This is an issue relating to a city that houses Sachkhand Darbar Sahib. There could be nothing more unfortunate than this. We call our party as Shiromani party, panthic party and call the government panthic government but it is unfortunate that a treatment plant is proposed in Shiromani city. If Inderbir Bolaria succumbs to party pressure on such an issue, back out and let the plant come up, it will be the death of his conscience.

You think you paid the price for taking a stand on this issue?

Definitely. But the positions like Chief Parliamentary Secretary are immaterial for me when it comes to such an issue.

You have been objecting to the proposal of treatment plant in your constituency. Why is the party not listening to you? Did you suggest any alternate site?

There is no need to offer any alternate proposal to the government. The government knows everything. Why are they not setting up this treatment plant near border. They can set up the plant on 100 acres anywhere near the border with Pakistan. The area where the plant has been proposed is the most thinly populated area in Amritsar. I wonder which officers finalised the proposal. And less said the better for those who listened to such officers.

Don’t you think you should have resigned as MLA, especially after coming in confrontation with the party on the issue?

You must have seen the result of byelection. Had I resigned, there would have been a byelection. And in byelection what tactics (“hathkande te kareeke”) SAD resorts to is common knowledge and I need not add any further on such tactics. I was elected by the people of my constituency. So, I decided against resigning.

You did not resign as CPS either?

Had I resigned as CPS, there would have been pressure on me to resign as MLA too and again that would have led to bypoll. I did not participate in any party meeting or in-house proceedings to lodge my protest.

What are your future plans? Will you stick to the party?

Only time will tell that. I cannot say anything at this point of time. I will see how things unfold. Shiromani Akali Dal kisi di jaddi jagir nahi hai. SAD is a great party that came into being after sacrifices by Sikh warriors who fought for the cause of Punjab. It is the bad luck of the party that it is passing through such circumstances. I am the youngest legislator and when a party does not give freedom to youth to express themselves, that party is finished. In 2007 when my father was elected, he won with maximum percentage. According to vote percentage, Capt Amarinder Singh was number one, followed by my father Raminder Singh Bolaria. After my father’s demise, people were so affectionate that they made me win by 22000 votes in the byelection.

Are you getting any feelers from other parties like AAP and Congress? Are you open to quitting SAD?

It is too early to say anything on this. Let the appropriate time come and I will take a call. I have not been approached by any party as of now.

Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh declined to be inducted as CPS? How do you see this?

Pargat Singh has brought laurels to country. He is a man with conscience. I think he took a right decision. Anyone who is serious about the issues of Punjab would act like him.

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