PUNJAB BUDGET SESSION
Pandemonium prevailed in Punjab Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the budget session with opposition parties targeting the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the issue of deteriorating law and order, especially the brutal broad daylight killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
The leaders of the main opposition party, Congress, were joined by leaders of other opposition parties in protesting against the treasury benches over the issues. Later, Congress and the BJP staged a walkout.
Categorically blaming the AAP Government for Moosewala’s murder, the members of the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal maintained that despite having intelligence inputs, singer’s security was downgraded, and the same information was also made public, after which Moosewala was killed.
The pandemonium that ensued started at the onset of the Zero Hour when the Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan rejected the Congress’ “adjournment motion” seeking a discussion on law and order, pointing that it could not be allowed as the matter was “subjudice”.
Questioning the grounds on which the Congress’ adjournment motion was rejected, the Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa asked the Speaker as to how could the entire law and order be “subjudice” and demanded that the adjournment motion be allowed as the issue was of grave concern to the state.
“The Speaker has written to us that the adjournment motion is disallowed as the issue is subjudice. How can the entire law and order issue be sub-judice, one or two or few cases may be sub-judice,” argued Bajwa. Citing Moosewala’s killing to point out that there has been many incidents to show that the law and order situation is bad, Bajwa insisted the Speaker to fix time and allow a discussion on the adjournment motion.
Responding, the Speaker Sandhwan said that ample time will be given to the members during the budget session at an appropriate time.
Congress MLAs also staged a protest in the well of the House when they were not allowed to raise the “burning issues” during the Zero Hour. Congress MLAs were also joined by the BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal, and lone Bahujan Samaj Party members, and raised slogans against the Speaker. While the BJP joined Congress in the walkout, the SAD and BSP stayed back.
Later, Bajwa also sought a clarification from the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on his video statement that his life was in danger.
“Can there be anything more important if the head of a state says that his life is in danger. We are very concerned. I would not have sought this discussion on the law and order situation had the Chief Minister not said in a video that his life was in danger. If the life of the state’s Chief Minister is not safe, it says a lot about the state of affairs,” said Bajwa.
He added that not only politicians, but traders and businessmen were also getting threat calls. “What kind of situation is this? Our former Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni has also received threat calls. It is a serious matter,” Bajwa pointed out.
Amidst sloganeering, Bajwa demanded that Mann make a statement in the House on the issue.
Seconding Bajwa, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that businessmen too were getting threat calls. “Bajwa’s concerns are not unfounded…especially after the CM claimed his life was in danger,” he said.
Later, the Speaker said that the Chief Minister will respond to this on Saturday.
Speaker also asked Bajwa, being a senior and experienced member, to ensure that all Congress leaders cooperate and ensure that the proceedings be held peacefully. Responding, Bajwa said: “What good will the experience be if I am shot in the evening...Everyone's life is important, we are concerned about the safety of all.”
MLAs BLAME GOVT FOR MOOSEWALA KILLING
MLAs, cutting across party lines, blamed the AAP Government for Moosewala’s killing. Congress MLA and Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring pointed that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) alert came a year ago, where he was described having “highest threat”, and the Congress Government had given him 10 commandos. “Then gangster Shahrukh also said that he had gone to kill Moosewala, but returned after seeing the security. And when AAP Government came, his security was reduced from 10 to four commandos first, and then only two gunmen were left with them. And then, the same was made public for everyone to know,” he added.
Partap Bajwa said that Delhi Police Special Cell had also alerted the Punjab Police that a conspiracy was being hatched to kill Moosewala, but his security was reduced. “This was a big mistake, and they must admit this. The outcome to make public the information regarding pruning Moosewala’s security is his murder. Why his security was reduced?” he asked.
SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali also blamed the government for Moosewala’s murder, adding that singer’s security was reduced and then it was made public.
AAP BLAMES PREVIOUS GOVTS TO PATRONISE GANGSTERS
Moving the motion of thanks and initiating discussion on the Governor’s Address, AAP senior leader Aman Arora took on the previous regimes for allegedly patronising the gangsters.
Referring to opposition having raked up the law and order issue, Arora said that it needs to be seen from a wider perspective. The three-month-old Bhagwant Mann-led Government was doing its best to set right the wrongs done in the past, he said.
Intervening in the discussion, Congress’ Warring said that Moosewala and many others' security was curtailed and the details were made public. “This murder could have been prevented if the threat, which he was already facing, taken seriously by the government,” he said.
“During the past 90 days, 70 lives have been lost, that is why we are saying detailed discussion on law and order is needed, he added.
Arora said that according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the number of heinous crimes in the state have come down this year. Taking part in the discussion on the Governor's Address, Bajwa said that Punjab has passed through difficult times in 1980s and 1990s. “We need to take law and order issue seriously,” said Bajwa.
Referring to Punjab Police investigations in the Moosewala killing case, Bajwa questioned “how had (gangster) Lawrence Bishnoi (the alleged mastermind in the case) used mobile phone in the Tihar jail.”
House paid tributes to Moosewala, others
Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday paid tributes to globally-renowned Punjabi singer-cum-politician Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popular as Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in Mansa on May 29.
The House, in its obituary references, also paid tributes to former ministers Hardeepinder Singh Badal and SAD leader Tota Singh. Others who were paid tributes included Arjuna awardees Gurcharan Singh Bhangu and Hari Chand. The House remembered freedom fighters, including Tara Singh, Swaran Singh, Karora Singh and Sukhraj Singh Sandhawalia.
Tributes were also paid to former MLAs, including Sukhdev Singh Sukhladhi and Shingara Ram Sahungra.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Jaikishan Rori urged the Speaker to include the name of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) vice-president Surinder Singh in the obituary references. Congress member Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal suggested that farmers who committed suicides should also be paid tributes. The House observed a two-minute silence on the occasion.