Pritam Singh Denies Telling Raeesah Khan to ‘Lie to the Grave’ in Latest Testimony
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh has denied accusations that he instructed former Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan to “lie to the grave” regarding a fabricated claim she made in Parliament. In his testimony, given in the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the matter, Singh asserted that he did not tell Khan to maintain the falsehood or cover it up indefinitely, as had been previously alleged by Khan.
The controversy centers on a 2021 incident where Khan falsely claimed in Parliament that she had helped a rape victim by accompanying her to the police station. The claim was later revealed to be untrue, and Khan admitted to fabricating the story. She further testified that, in the aftermath, Singh allegedly advised her to lie and cover up the false statement instead of coming forward with the truth.
However, Singh, the Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party (WP), vehemently rejected these claims during his testimony, stressing that he had no intention of encouraging Khan to conceal the lie. In his account, Singh said that when Khan informed him of the falsehood, he was shocked and advised her to take responsibility and be transparent about the matter. He added that his position was always to have her admit the mistake and correct it, but that she had chosen not to do so at that time.
The incident dates back to August 2021, when Khan first made the false statement about assisting a rape victim in Parliament. The lie was part of her broader narrative about women’s safety, but it was later uncovered as fabricated, leading to questions about the integrity of the Workers’ Party leadership.
Singh recalled that after Khan’s admission to him that the claim was untrue, he was “deeply concerned” about the situation. At that point, Singh testified that he had advised her to tell the truth as soon as possible. Khan, however, took a different route and continued to maintain the false narrative in public, which later led to further complications, including an internal investigation within the Workers’ Party.
The inquiry into the affair has focused on the leadership’s handling of the situation and whether Singh or any other senior WP members played a role in encouraging Khan to perpetuate the lie. Khan’s testimony suggested that Singh was among those who had advised her to keep quiet about the falsehood. In response, Singh strongly rejected the assertion, emphasizing that he had always urged Khan to come clean, even though it took several months before she finally admitted the lie publicly.
As the inquiry unfolds, the Workers’ Party is facing significant scrutiny over its internal handling of the issue. Singh, who was initially criticized for not taking stronger action when the falsehood came to light, defended his actions throughout the controversy, stressing that he did everything he could to guide Khan toward telling the truth, even though she chose to stay silent initially.
The issue has become a focal point for political debate, with critics questioning whether the Workers’ Party has acted with enough transparency and integrity in addressing the matter. Singh, however, maintains that the party took appropriate steps once the full details of the lie emerged.
Khan eventually admitted to lying in November 2021, apologizing publicly for her actions. She also resigned from her MP position, acknowledging that her actions were “unacceptable” and caused harm to the public’s trust in the parliamentary system.
Singh’s testimony is likely to be pivotal in determining whether the Workers’ Party leadership will face further consequences for its role in the scandal. The inquiry continues to investigate the extent of Singh’s involvement and his response to the false claims, with many looking for clarity on whether the opposition leader failed in his duty to ensure transparency and accountability within his party.
As the case unfolds, public interest remains high, with many watching closely to see how the Workers’ Party handles the fallout from the scandal.
