High drama unfolded in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday as a censure motion was passed against the Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa for his controversial remarks against Padma-awardee environmentalist and Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal. The motion was backed by all MLAs except those from the Congress, with even ‘suspended’ Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar voting in its favour.

The House, instead of deliberating on the Budget presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema a day earlier as per the schedule, spent over two hours engaged in a fiery debate on Bajwa’s comments. This led to intense disruptions, multiple adjournments, and three dramatic walkouts by the Congress MLAs, who were adamant about bringing a resolution demanding Bharat Ratna for Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. The Treasury Benches, however, continued to seek action against and also apology from Bajwa. Seechewal, popularly known as Sant Seechewal, has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha as the Aam Aadmi Party member.

Tensions escalated when Bajwa attempted to introduce his resolution but was immediately confronted by AAP MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann, who objected to his address and even his presence in the House until he apologized for his remarks. Demanding immediate action against Bajwa, she also urged the Congress high command to replace him with a more competent and responsible Leader of Opposition.

As Bajwa said that he “stand by what I said”, heated arguments ensued between both sides. Education Minster Harjot Bains said that his religious sentiments were hurt by Bajwa’s statement for a person who spent years cleaning that rivulet. He pointed that country’s former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, known as Missile Man of India, visited Seechewal twice and appreciated his efforts dubbing it as “great achievement”. He went on to add that Times magazine has also named Seechewal among “top 30 environmentalists of the world”, and was given country’s highest civilian honour.

“Sant Seechewal ji represents Punjab in the Parliament, he represents this House. They should clarify whether this is the stand of entire Congress party or Bajwa’s alone,” asked Bains, intensifying the war of words between the two sides.

When the House resumed, the Speaker quoted Rules to point that 15-day prior notice is required in case any member wanted to move a resolution. Unsatisfied, Congress MLAs, led by Bajwa, entered the well of the House and staged a walkout after a brief protest.

Lashing out at the Congress for not making any such move to honour Bhagat Singh when they were in power, Minister Aman Arora said that Bajwa’s remarks were an “over-reaction” on a name. “This model is publically accepted…Can he come here and please tell what is fault with that…his reaction is ridiculous and absurd,” he said.

As SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali was going to make a point over the issue, the Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan adjourned the House for 15 minutes.

Upon resumption, the ruckus continued as AAP leaders demanded apology from Bajwa, who was not present in the House. Congress MLAs Avtar Henry Junior and Barindermeet Singh Pahara entered into verbal duel with Harjot Bains. Minister Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal said that there would not be more shameful than calling such a person a “thekedaar”. He asked Congress MLA Hardev Singh Laddi, who represents the area where Seechewal has worked, to clarify whether “he is a sant or a thekedaar”.

Minister Aman Arora, lashed out at Bajwa, accusing him of disrespecting a revered environmentalist whose contributions had been acknowledged globally. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, reiterating the government’s stance, asserted that Bajwa’s remarks had deeply hurt Punjabi sentiments, given Seechewal’s decades-long environmental efforts, including the cleaning of the Kali Bein rivulet.

As the uproar intensified, the Congress MLAs staged another walkout, alleging that they were being prevented from discussing the Budget. Taking a dig at Congress MLAs, Arora urged the Speaker to take “ayes and nos” from them on Seechewal issue, and “Bajwa would himself come into minority”.

As the AAP MLAs continued to demand action, the House was adjourned for second time. When the House reconvened, BJP’s Ashwani Sharma also objected to Bajwa’s statement. Minister Barinder Goyal confronted Congress members asking then why they had, in their government, made Seechewal a member of the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

Bajwa maintained, “He is a politician. He is not an engineer…not a technical person…tussi saara session issi te la ditta…this is not acceptable”. Arora’s replied, “Your own people are not accepting you.” This irate Congress MLAs who backed Bajwa; and AAP MLAs also stood on their places. “Saari party mere naal hai (entire party is with me),” said Bajwa, and led the party MLAs into the well.

Amidst the ruckus, Harjot Bains moved the censure motion against Bajwa, which was subsequently passed with near-unanimous support. Notably, SAD MLA Manpreet Ayali and suspended Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar also endorsed the motion. In protest, Congress staged another walk out.

The Congress, however, strongly objected to the proceedings, with Bajwa alleging that the entire episode was a “well-orchestrated attempt” by the AAP Government to divert attention from pressing governance issues and suppress opposition voices. “This is nothing but a ploy to sideline real discussions. The government is using the Seechewal issue as an excuse to avoid debates on the Budget,” Bajwa asserted.

As the session concluded, Finance Minister Cheema took a jibe at the Congress, stating, "They wanted to debate the Budget but had nothing substantive to say. Their only strategy was to stage repeated walkouts." The Assembly is now set to reconvene to discuss the Budget, though political tensions remain high following the tumultuous session.

CM Slams Cong for ‘Irresponsible’ Remarks on Seechewal

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday lashed out at the Congress for questioning the credentials of renowned environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal, accusing the opposition of indulging in theatrics to grab media attention. 

Mann, addressing the Vidhan Sabha apparently in his first visit, slammed opposition leaders for making “irresponsible and irrelevant” remarks against Seechewal, who has been working for environmental conservation since 1999. He said that those demanding the Sant’s educational qualifications fail to recognize that many degree holders, including Rahul Gandhi, have done little for the country, whereas Seechewal has made tangible contributions. 

“Baba Seechewal can clean dirty ponds, but he cannot cleanse the filthy and myopic mindset of these leaders,” Mann said, while also criticizing the Leader of Opposition, claiming he had “lost his mental balance” in his desperation to become Punjab’s Chief Minister. 

Mann highlighted that Seechewal’s work has been recognized by eminent personalities, including former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. He accused Congress of disrespecting Punjabis and claimed that their criticism of Seechewal reflected their disdain for selfless service. 

Further ridiculing Congress leaders for using social media platforms created by college dropouts while simultaneously belittling those without formal degrees, Mann called the opposition a “divided house”, with some members staging walkouts while others continued attending sessions.

Condemning Congress for its attacks on Seechewal, Mann asserted that the Sant’s contributions to environmental preservation were widely acknowledged, both nationally and internationally. “Their animosity towards him is nothing but political opportunism,” he said.

Govt to Implement Rs 1,000 Monthly Scheme for Women Soon: Cheema

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reaffirmed the state government's commitment to providing Rs 1,000 per month to women, a key electoral promise made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Concluding the debate on the budget in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Cheema assured that the necessary groundwork was being laid, and the scheme would be launched soon. 

“AAP has come to power with five major guarantees, four of which had already been fulfilled…We have stood by the people of Punjab and kept our promises. The survey and necessary data collection for the women's financial assistance scheme are underway. Very soon, eligible women will start receiving Rs 1,000 in their accounts every month,” he said. 

Cheema highlighted the achievements of the AAP government in revenue collection, contrasting it with the financial performance of previous Congress and Akali-BJP governments. He pointed out that while the Congress government collected only Rs 21,286 crore in GST revenue from 2017 onward, the AAP government had raised this figure to Rs 64,253 crore in just three years. 

He also criticized previous administrations for their inaction in curbing tax evasion, leading to huge revenue losses. “Had the Congress government taken serious steps, Punjab wouldn’t have needed to borrow crores today,” he added. 

On the issue of liquor and land mafia, Cheema claimed that the AAP Government had successfully dismantled illegal networks that had plagued the state’s revenue system. He noted that excise revenue had jumped to Rs 28,200 crore in just three years, surpassing the five-year collections of the previous Akali-BJP and Congress governments. 

Addressing concerns over Punjab’s financial health, Cheema explained that the government had invested Rs 8,000 crore in a sinking fund to manage short-term loans effectively. The budget also prioritized key sectors such as education (Rs 17,975 crore), healthcare (Rs 5,598 crore), and industry (Rs 3,426 crore). 

Cheema concluded by emphasizing that the “Badlda Punjab” budget was a reflection of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s vision to transform Punjab and ensure holistic development. “We are here to rebuild Punjab, not just manage its finances. Every scheme, every policy, is aimed at improving the lives of our people,” he said.