Describing Thursday’s incidents as “black spots on democracy”, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh has made it clear that any such effort to disrupt the House “for petty political interests” would not be tolerated.
Rana KP, expressing anguish over the anarchist activities, said that such un-constitutional acts are against the sanctity of the august house.
Assembly spokesperson said that when AAP MlAs were being taken out from the House by the security personal on the Speaker’s directions, AAP member Jai Kishan manhandled and hit a lady security staff deployed on duty. These members also tried to damage the House property, said the spokesperson.
Spokesperson added that what happened in the House today was not explicitly appropriate as per the old established traditions of the House. The House termed these activities of the opposition as unfortunate and sought action for disrespecting the special privileges of the august House.
OPPOSITION'S ATROCIOUS BEHAVIOUR SMACKED OF HOOlIGANISM: CAPT
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday lashed out at SAD and AAP for disrupting the House proceedings saying that the opposition's atrocious behaviour smacked of hooliganism.
Capt Amarinder, speaking to the reporters in the 'press lounge' of Assembly, also flayed the opposition for allegedly violating the sanctity of the House with their "rowdy acts".
Making his anguish clear over the opposition's obstructionist behaviour in the House, a visibly upset Capt Amarinder said that action should be taken against those MlAs who have been breaking the rules of the Assembly and throwing papers at the Speaker, besides creating an unnecessary ruckus over nonissues.
Asked if the AAP and the SAD were conspiring together to disrupt the proceedings, he said that given their conduct over the past few days, it definitely appeared to be so, in fact, ever since the Budget session commenced.
He said that he could give AAP MlAs the benefit of doubt since they were novice and did not know how to behave in the Assembly, but the Akalis are also behaving in similar fashion which clearly indicates that it was a deliberate ploy to prevent the government from implementing its promises to the people.
MlAs of these parties have been violating the sanctity of the Question Hour, he said.
“Instead of utilising the Question Hour for raising their issues, they are indulging in political gimmickry to hog the limelight and to remain in the news,” he said, adding that such behaviour was completely against all democratic norms and ethics, and did not behove the elected representatives of the people. Expressing shock at the assault on a woman watch and ward personnel by AAP MlAs, he said that it was disgusting and shameful.
‘GOONDA’ RANA KP INSUlTED SIKHS AND SIKHISM: SAD
Chandigarh: Dubbing the Speaker Rana KP Singh as “gunda KP”, SAD on Thursday declared to move the National Minorities Commission and SC panel for disrespecting Sikhs by tossing turbans and female MlAs by “molesting” them.
Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal said that his party will not allow the House to function till the Speaker is removed or he apologises for the ruckus.
“Today’s incidents in the Assembly, wherein turbans of AAP legislators were tossed and some Opposition lawmakers were beaten up by the watch and ward staff, are an insult to the Sikh community,” he said.
He said: “Rana KP acted like a ‘goonda’ (ruffian) and insulted Sikh religion and culture. We will submit a formal complaint against him with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, besides launching a movement to force him to quit.”
Sukhbir said that it was condemnable that while the Speaker was doing all this, the Congress members egged him on to be even harsher.
“Besides tossing and trampling on the turbans of two Sikh MlAs – Manjit Singh Bilaspur and Pirmal Singh – he also ordered his bouncers to attack the woman MlA,” he said, adding that such unprecedented violence ordered, and commandeered by a Speaker in such a ruthless manner, has never occurred in the history of the Punjab assembly.
He said that the Speaker's actions were “premeditated” and that “he was continuously reading out written orders, indicating that the Congress had made up its mind to throttle the opposition so that it is not exposed during the debate on the Budget”.
SAD MlA Bikram Majithia said that the incident occurred after he along with Sharanjit Dhillon went up to protesting AAP MlAs after walking out from the assembly.
“After returning to the assembly shortly after drinking water, I witnessed AAP MlA Manjit Bilaspur being mercilessly thrashed by bouncers. I came to his rescue and took on the bouncers but could not save his turban from falling…I retrieved the fallen turban and brought this serious and sensitive issue to the notice of the Speaker. We stressed that the dastar is an article of pride for Sikhs and expected Rana KP to act in the matter. Instead of doing that, he named us and asked us to vacate the Vidhan Sabha premises,” he said.
SHOCKING, SAYS BADAl
Dubbing as “shocking” the unsavoury happenings in the Punjab Assembly, the former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday said: “In the 70 years of my public life, I have neither seen, nor experienced, nor even imagined, incidents of such horrific, shameful and repressive nature.”
Badal said that it was “midsummer madness of the ruling Congress” and an outrage worse than the horrors of the Emergency days.
The veteran Akali leader visited the injured AAP legislators at the government multi-specialty hospital in Sector 16, Chandigarh. “The Indian democracy has been shamed in broad daylight on the Vidhan Sabha floor. I still find it hard to believe what I saw and heard,” he added.
Badal demanded registration of criminal cases against those who indulged in “wanton violence against elected public representatives and those who issued such shameful orders”.
“Under the Congress government, the elected representatives are not safe even in the Vidhan Sabha,” he said.
ONE OF THE DARKEST DAYS IN VIDHAN SABHA’s HISTORY: PHOOlKA
Describing it as “one of the darkest days in the history of Vidhan Sabha”, leader of Opposition and AAP MlA HS Phoolka on Thursday said that on the Speaker’s orders, marshals attacked AAP MlAs, and “removed turbans of five baptized members and misbehaved with women MlAs and torn their clothes”.
“Taking notice of the turbans lying on the floor, SAD also opposed the Speaker and brought one turban and gave to AAP MlA Manjeet Singh in the hospital. SGPC to complained to the Governor against the desecration of turban,” he said.
SGPC CAllS MEETING ON JUN 26
Condemning the incident of “turban tossing”, SGPC has called a meeting of its executive committee to discuss the issue on June 26
SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar has condemned the tossing of turban of AAP MlA Pirmal Singh in the Punjab Assembly, saying that SGPC executive committee would discuss the issue in its meeting scheduled for June 26 at the Bhatha Sahib gurdwara in Ropar.
He alleged that the Congress always remained anti-Sikh and the incident proved this.
Badungar had met Governor VP Singh Badnore in the afternoon and take up the turban issue with him.