Centre should probe Amarinder's link with Pak scribe: Badal

Chandigarh, Apr 12 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today refused to be dragged into controversy regarding his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh's alleged relations with a Pakistani woman journalist.

''The Union Government is seized of the matter and it is for the duty of the Centre to take action'', he said while answering questions of the 'Amarinder-Aroosa Alam' alleged link at a media conference here.

The central government is better informed of the matter, the state has got nothing to do with it, he added while refusing to comment on the reported affair between Capt Singh and Ms Alam, an Islamabad based scribe who had come to India during the fag end of the tenure of Capt Singh as chief minister. It was reported that she had come on the invitation of Capt Singh and the state government had borne the expenses of her visit.

However Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) acting president and MP Sukhbir Singh Badal was more forceful in his comments on the issue and demanded an inquiry by the Centre.

Pointing to the 'sensitivity' of Indo-Pak relations, the Junior Badal in an informal chat with mediapersons earlier stated that the journalist in question visited Jaipur and other places for which she did not have a visa. The matter should be probed by the central government, he added.

Capt Singh on his part has already clarified that he knew Ms Alam only as a journalist. He has denied any form of relationship with her.

All India Anti-Terroirst Front Chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta too has already demanded a probe into the visit of Ms Alam to India and her alleged 'relationship' with the former chief minister.

UNI