Chandigarh [India], October 23 (ANI): High drama unfolded in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha as Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was suspended for the remainder of the ongoing session following a resolution moved by State Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over alleged obstruction of House proceedings and use of objectionable language.
The suspension triggered a fiery political confrontation between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Opposition, with Congress legislators subsequently boycotting the House and staging a walkout.
Moving the resolution in the Assembly, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema aimed at the Congress, accusing the party of hypocrisy and having a history of violence and inaction on the state’s drug crisis.
“From 1980 to 1995, Punjab saw a dark era when people of the Congress party indulged in murders. Several Hindus and Sikhs were also killed at that time. Congress party is the killer of the youth of Punjab. They have killed our children. What issue are they raising today?” Cheema said.
Targeting the previous Congress government’s unfulfilled promises, Cheema added: “These people had pledged that they would eliminate the drug menace within four weeks. Unfortunately, neither Captain sahab [Amarinder Singh] nor the other Chief Minister did anything for 4.5 years. Instead, they destroyed Punjab. This is a group that spread the drug menace in Punjab. When Pargat Singh was in the Akali Dal, which is known as the party that introduced ‘Chitta’ in Punjab… Akali Dal and BJP are the parties which introduced drugs in Punjab. Today, they are doing politics over the bodies of youth.”
Hitting back sharply outside the Assembly, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s administration of direct culpability in drug-related deaths, citing the death of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
“The postmortem of Parvinder Singh Jhota has still not been done. His last rites will be performed after the postmortem. His father, family, and the entire Punjab believe that the AAP government and CM Bhagwant Mann are directly responsible for deaths due to drugs. CM Bhagwant Mann is also the Home Minister. These deaths would not have occurred had the administration done its job,” Bajwa said.
Questioning the absence of the Chief Minister from the House, Bajwa claimed: “The CM didn’t come to the House for the second consecutive day. He is absconding. Their party president also didn’t come. So what is the whole idea of discussing other things? The government is not ready to respond to the drug menace, which is the biggest law and order issue.”
Bajwa further alleged: “If the CM himself doesn’t come to the State Assembly, the party president doesn’t come, and the Speaker is not ready to listen, what option are we left with?… A proclaimed offender is sitting in the House. Gulzar Singh has a dying declaration about Harpal Cheema. There is also a dying declaration against Laljit Singh Bhullar in a similar case. Harpal Cheema is outside and leading the Assembly. So, we have boycotted the House and come out.”
Joining the attack, Congress MLA Pargat Singh criticised the government over alleged administrative collapse and unfulfilled symbolism.
“We had said that we would present a Letter of Condemnation to either the party chief [of AAP] or the Chief Minister. We requested the Speaker to allow this so that it could be tabled. Bhagat Singh had fought the British, about whom it was said that it was an empire on which the sun never sets. And these people wear ‘Bhagat Singh waali pagdi’… These are the people who lack spine. They cannot take a stand for Punjab. There is such mismanagement and administrative failure against which the entire Punjab has taken to the streets,” Pargat Singh said.
Dismissing the Opposition’s walkout, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hit back, accusing the Congress of running away from productive debate.
“They just want to create a ruckus. First, they complain that the Legislative Assembly isn’t being convened. Then, when it is convened, they choose to boycott it. A discussion is underway—they should participate in it. Let there be questions and answers; that is how things work in a democracy,” Chief Minister Mann said. (ANI)
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