Paper missiles, files, and “abuses” were hurled, and slogans raised — all on the second day of the Budget session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Amidst suspension of one legislator, the Opposition virtually brought the proceedings to a standstill with no less than three adjournments.
Farm debt waiver, sand mining auction, and alleged abuse by Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu dominated the House proceedings during the maiden Budget session of the present House as the divided opposition — Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) alliance and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-lok Insaaf Party (lIP) alliance — made attempts to outdo each other.
The Speaker Rana KP Singh suspended all 20 legislators of the Aam Aadmi Party and one of its ally, the lok Insaaf Party (lIP), for the day for creating ruckus inside the House, while lIP’s Simarjeet Singh Bains was suspended for the remaining Budget session for throwing papers and files on the Chair.
Simarjit’s suspension came following a complaint by Congress MlA Kulbir Singh Zira. The AAP leaders were protesting against the Speaker for refusing the party to move the adjournment motion against the Cabinet Minister Rana Gurjit Singh’s alleged impropriety in the recent sand mining auction.
AAP MlAs, who were protesting in the well of the House, threw papers and files at the Speaker, tried to break the cordon of the marshals creating complete pandemonium in the House.
Speaker’s repeated warnings and pleas to AAP MlAs fell on deaf ears as they continued with their protest and sloganeering. “I name all the AAP MlAs,” said the Speaker.
Few minutes later, Speaker said: “I again name Simarjit Bains”, meaning that he was suspended for the remaining session days in legislative terminology.
Speaker, sitting amidst the shelter of his security and marshals while ducking to save himself from the paper missiles, was forced to adjourn the House for the third and final time for the day.
SAD-BJP FORCED 2 ADJOURNMENTS
Relegated to the third position in the Vidhan Sabha, the SAD-BJP combine made desperate attempts to make their presence felt in the House dominated by the Congress, followed by AAP-lIP combine.
The alliance staged sit-in inside the well of the House, shouted slogans, staged walk-out, and forced two adjournments of 30 minutes each over the issue of farmers’ debt waiver and alleged use of expletives by Sidhu.
A handful of SAD-BJP MlAs, despite the absence of its trio of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SAD president Sukhbir Badal, and former Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia, did not let the Speaker to hold the question hour, forcing him to adjourn the House.
Soon after the House resumed after 10 minutes adjournment following an obituary reference made to Punjabi writer Prof Ajmer Singh Aulakh, SAD MlA Ajit Singh Kohar raised the farm debt waiver issue as the party has submitted the adjournment motion in this regard.
As the Speaker refused them for “wasting time” of the question hour, SAD MlAs started speaking up for immediate debt write-off.
Undeterred, the Akali MlAs entered the well of the House shouting slogans and demanding that their adjournment motion on farm debt waiver be allowed.
leader of Opposition and AAP MlA HS Phoolka also demanded a debate on debt waiver. Speaker refused saying that the notice for adjournment motion was not received on time.
As the Congress MlAs too started exchanging heated words with the Akali MlAs, Cabinet Minister Navjot Sidhu took potshots saying that the people forced them to bite the dust during the polls.
Amidst din, Speaker adjourned the House for half an hour. When the House resumed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra described the behaviour of SAD and BJP as “undemocratic” and accused them of violating the sanctity of the Question Hour.
The SAD-BJP MlAs continued their protest, the Speaker pointed that it was “unprecedented” that legislators were creating pandemonium during the question hour.
Phoolka too pointed that no party should be allowed to take away the right of the members who have submitted queries of their respective assembly segments. Amid the ruckus, 15 MlAs of Akali and BJP staged a walk out.
AKAlI ACCUSE SIDHU FOR ABUSING
After the question hour, SAD MlA Kohar demanded an apology from Sidhu for abusing them and rushed to the well of the House along with his colleagues.
Amid sloganeering, the Speaker continued with the proceedings. “When you have nothing to say, just say I have been abused. They just want to create rumpus,” said the Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, backing his cabinet colleague.
Intervening, Phoolka urged the Speaker to verify the Akalis’ allegation from the record. To which, the Speaker maintained that they have verified it, and he has not used any expletives. “I am educated and would never use foul language,” Sidhu added.
Congress MlA from Gidderbaha Raja Amarinder Singh Warring asked Kohar to swear that Sidhu has used the expletive, which he categorically refused. As the both sides continued to raise slogans, the Speaker asked the leader of Opposition Phoolka to go ahead with his calling attention motion on inconvenience caused to the people due to overloading of trucks, tippers and trolleys carrying sand.
Phoolka urged him to restore order first, the Speaker adjourned the House for the second time.