CHANDIGARH: Randeep Singh Nabha, sitting Congress MLA from Nabha Wednesday joined the issue with his mother Satinder Kaur wife of former minister late Gurdarshan Singh Nabha and denied the charges of ill treatment and issuing threats over property matters, levelled by her in a press conference here.

The mother and sister of   Randeep Singh Nabha had on June 30 last alleged ill-treatment by him, who they claim threatened them with taking their lives if they asked for their share in the “ancestral property”. The family has been on a “warpath” since 1988 when his father Gurdarshan Singh, a former Punjab minister, died.

Satinder Kaur, founder chairperson of the Punjab Mahila Congress and member of the disciplinary committee of the Punjab Pradesh Congress, was accompanied by her daughter Jasbir Kaur, two brothers Manmohan Singh and Tejinder Singh. She accused the legislator of “threatening to eliminate them” and demanded protection. “All we want is our share in the property and protection to our lives; we cannot be wished away simply because we are women,” Mrs Satinder Kaur said.

Randip Singh told media men here that it was unfortunate that family issues had been made public and he was dragged into the controversy. He said that he and his brother Gurdip Singh still respect their family and respect their mother.

He said that after his father passed away on July 15,1988, the entire property was mutated in equal shares. He alleged that his and his brothers's shares in property were sold by their mother but they kept mum out of respect for her. He quoted the sale deed numbers of properties allegedly sold by his mother even after General Power of Attorney by two brothers was cancelled. He alleged that proceeds from property sale were not deposited in bank account.

He said that certain members of family had not found it prudent to preserve and protect the dignity of our father built over his whole life time. He also sought to settle the property dispute by neutral family friends. "I am ready to resolve all issues amicably", he declared. He also stated that “I am a public figure and someone is trying to tarnish my image".