Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal today accepted the resignation of Congress MLA Ramanjit Singh Sikki who had resigned from the Assembly for being "hurt" over alleged desecration of religious book in his constituency last month.
"I have accepted the resignation (of Ramanjit Sikki)," Atwal said here.
He further said the assembly seat of Khadoor Sahib represented by Sikki has been declared as vacant.
A month back, Sikki had resigned after being "hurt" over the alleged sacrilege incident which took place in Tarn Taran district on October 16.
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Meanwhile, Sikki today said he declined to appear before the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker saying, he has no faith in him since the speaker has proved to be the part of the same ruling dispensation against whom he (Sikki) had resigned in protest.
In a letter to the Speaker, Sikki said he had expected him (the Speaker) to be the custodian of the dignity of the legislature and to stand by the legislators who are the representatives of the public serving people's interest.
"However, your silence added to our pain of helplessness", he wrote, adding, "under these circumstances, I assume that you stood by the Government rather than your MLAs".
Sikki said, "even as a Sikh, you failed my expectations of at least sharing my pain. Hence, I do not deem it appropriate to appear before you and plead for acceptance of my resignation on the issue that has not touched your conscience, neither as the public representative nor as a Sikh yourself".
