‘Controversy being created out of nothing’: Sunny Deol offers clarification following row over Gurpreet Palheri’s appointment

After facing flak for appointing a “representative” to work in his stead in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, MP Sunny Deol clarified that the move was to ensure no delay or disruption in work. Deol wrote on Twitter, “It is extremely unfortunate to see a controversy being created out of nothing at all.”

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— Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) July 2, 2019

Earlier, Deol had announced that he had appointed Gurpreet Singh Palheri as his “representative” to “attend meetings and follow important matters”. “I hereby appoint Gurpreet Singh Palheri, son of Supinder Singh, resident of village Palheri, district Mohali, Punjab, as my representative to attend meetings and follow important matters pertaining to my parliamentary constituency, Gurdaspur (Punjab), with concerned authorities,” the letter signed by Deol read. Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said people of the constituency had voted for Deol, not his representative. “Sunny Deol has betrayed voters of Gurdaspur constituency by appointing a representative. How can an MP appoint his representative? Voters have elected Sunny Deol as an MP, not his representative,” Randhawa told PTI. Defending Deol’s move, Palheri, who is a writer and line producer, tried to downplay the issue, saying, “It (appointment) is for local issues. It is like being in 24-hour service of the people of Gurdaspur.” Palheri said Deol would visit the Gurdaspur constituency every month. “He will now come to Gurdaspur after Parliament session is over,” he added. Deol became MP after defeating Congress’ Sunil Jakhar with a margin of 82,459 votes in the Lok Sabha polls.