Punjab row:: Guv asks CM to explain principals’ selection for visit abroad; Mann says not answerable to him

Chandigarh: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Monday questioned a government appointment and the selection of school principals for a foreign trip, drawing a sharp response from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann who said his government is only answerable to Punjabis and not a Centre-appointed governor.

The row erupted after Purohit wrote a letter to Mann asking for details on the selection of government school principals sent to Singapore for a training seminar, saying he has received complaints of “malpractices and illegalities” in this regard.

The governor also questioned the appointment of Gurinderjit Singh Jawanda as the Punjab Information and Communication Technology Corporation chairman and pointed out that his name figured in a kidnapping and property grabbing case.

The Mann-led AAP government had sent 36 government school principals to a professional teacher training seminar in Singapore from February 6 to 10.

“I have received complaints in respect to the selection of principals for sending them to Singapore for training. The complainants point out certain malpractices and illegalities in the selection of these principals. The allegation is that there is no transparency,” Purohit said in his letter.

“I, therefore, request you to send me the criteria and details of entire selection process. Please also give detail if it was widely published throughout Punjab. As per news reports since the first batch has come back, please let me have details of total expenditure incurred on travelling and boarding lodging and expenses towards training,” he said.

Purohit asked Mann to reply to his letter within a fortnight, failing which he would seek legal advice for further action.

Taking to Twitter soon after, Mann said he and his government are only answerable to the 3 crore Punjabis and not to any governor appointed by the Centre.

“Treat this as my reply,” the chief minister said in a tweet in Punjabi.