Denied the chance of attacking the SAD-BJP ruling combine during the No-Confidence Motion, the Congress legislators on Tuesday continued to lay siege to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha throughout the day, despite being a holiday for Eid-ul-Adha.
Inside the Vidhan Sabha for more than 24 hours, they made clear their intentions of continuing with their protest till the resumption of session on Wednesday afternoon. Even the “appeal” and pleas by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal failed to find favour with them.
Their demand was clear: Allow debate on the No-Confidence Motion moved by them. “We want the Chief Minister or the Speaker to assure us that they would hold a debate on the motion which he promised but did not fulfil,” the Congress legislative Party (ClP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi told The Pioneer.
Around 26 to 30 Congress MlAs have been protesting against the Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal’s decision of not allowing a debate on the Congress’ no-confidence motion, which was defeated by a voice vote on Monday, even before the debate could take place. Atwal, then, adjourned the House proceedings till Wednesday.
Peeved, the Congress MlAs indulged in sloganeering and refused to leave the House and stay put inside to mark their protest. Even as the electricity and air-conditions went off, the “undeterred” MlAs held a mock assembly, putting forth their points in dim lights of their mobile phones.
Of the 42 Congress legislators in Punjab, nearly 30 MlAs, including four women, decided to stay put in the assembly on Monday night.
Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh maintained a regular touch with the MlAs, and even sent food packets for the MlAs, who slept inside the House.
On Tuesday morning, the Vidhan Sabha security restricted entry of Congress supporters, trying to meet the legislators, along with that of the media.
Reports of scuffle between the MlAs and the security staff was reported when they refused entry to them. A heated exchange took place between the security personnel and the MlAs, including Raja Amarinder Singh Warring and Sukhjinder Randhawa, after the police stopped their colleagues from entering the Assembly complex.
Despite the security personnel restricting the entry, Warring and Randhawa managed to bring two MlAs, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Balbir Singh Sidhu, into the Assembly complex.
Punjab Congress campaign committee chairman Ambika Soni, former Chief Minister and MlA Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and MlA lal
Singh were stopped by the security men from entering the Vidhan Sabha.
later, they, along with MlAs Raj Kumar Verka, Kewal Dhillon and Brahm Mohindra, staged a protest outside the Assembly complex and burnt an effigy of the SAD-BJP Government.
Bhattal said they would move privilege motion against the Speaker. Maintaining that not allowing the Congress MlAs to enter the House amounted to “murder of democracy”, Bhattal said
that they will take the fight to the streets.
The entry to the Vidhan Sabha has been sealed, with the Punjab Police, along with SWAT team, stationed there, and putting up barricades on the road leading to the Assembly to stop the entry of the MlAs and the media.
“It is outrageous on part of the Government in stopping the MlAs. Congress is going to fight it out and the MlA would hold on the ground till tomorrow,” said Capt Amarinder.
Congress MlAs even demanded that a written order, banning entry of people, be issued. “We have been told by the Vidhan Sabha secretary Shashi lakhanpal Misra that only verbal orders have been issued as today is a holiday and no one is allowed to enter the Assembly for security reasons,” said Congress MlAs.
The letter, written by Punjab Assembly Secretariat to the DIG (Security), read, “Today being a holiday and due to maintenance and security related matters of the Punjab Assembly and its premises, no person except the Assembly staff and security is allowed to enter the premises without the permission of Speaker.”
Meanwhile, 26 MlAs continued with their protest inside the Assembly by wearing aprons with “Punjab da cancer — Badal Parivar” (Punjab’s cancer — the Badal family) written on it.
Chief Minister Badal’s appeal to the protesting Congress MlAs to come out and amicably resolve the issue with the Speaker failed to find favour with them.
Badal, who met the Congress legislators inside the House where they were staging a sit-in, told them that the issue should ideally be resolved in the Business Advisory Council meetings. The meeting lasted 15 minutes.
The protesting MlAs told Badal that they will not leave the assembly till Speaker agrees to resume the debate. Badal expressed helplessness in the matter, saying that it was the Speaker’s prerogative to decide on these matters.
Chief Minister, who is also the leader of the House, also tell them that the issue has to be resolved by the Speaker, “but I have come to appeal to them only as a fellow member of the House”.
Displeased, the Congress MlAs rejected his “appeal” for lifting dharna saying that he had not come with an offer, but only came to make an appeal.
“The CM’s visit to meet Congress MlAs was a futile effort to save the reputation of the SAD-BJP Government. It would be appreciated if the CM came with a true heart to talk about the issues concerning the state,” said Jakhar in a video message sent via Whatsapp.
ClP leader Channi announced that the sit-in in the Assembly hall would continue till Wednesday “creating history”. Outrightly rejecting Badal’s appeal to vacate the House, Channi said: “He approached the Congress MlA’s just empty handed without any proposal. Badal’s visit was just a
political stunt, a mere photo opportunity.”
“CM came with an official photographer but without any proposal on the discussion on the current issues regarding the State. His appeal is also mere lip sympathy and nothing else,” said Channi while reiterating their demand to have time for discussion on the current issues on Punjab on Wednesday.
Besides, he demanded “immediate arrest” of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia for their alleged involvement in the illegal mining and drug trade in Punjab, the complaint regarding which was submitted to the state police chief a day before.
Channi also urged the Speaker Atwal to allow discussion and debate when the House meets on Wednesday as they were the representatives of the people and it was their duty to articulate their concerns.
Atwal underwent a medical procedure in a ludhiana hospital, and that was why he could not come to the assembly, resulting in a stalemate.
However, Atwal had maintained that the no-trust motion could not be brought against as it was put to vote on Monday evening and defeated.