An Opposition party in Punjab on Monday virtually gave a new meaning to the idiom “to pull the rug from under” by removing the red carpet in Punjab Vidhan Sabha meant for Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore. And, that was just one incident in the series of protests that marked day one of the budget session.
From move to gherao the assembly to setting ablaze the copies of Governor’s Address because of the burning issues afflicting the State — it all unfolded like a screenplay.
If the Congress rode high on the popularity wave by driving a tractor to the India Gate during the initial days of farmers’ protest, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rode bicycles to the assembly to paddle across the message of remonstration against the promises made by the ruling party before coming to power.
That was not all! Even the ruling Congress party too held a protest against the skyrocketing prices of the petrol, diesel, and cooking gas, before holding a march towards the Punjab Bhawan.
The last budget session of the current Congress Government, that started on a protest note — both inside and outside the House, is also expected to be a stormy affair as it was being held under the shadow of the farmers’ agitation. The session is also expected to set a tone for the campaign of all the major political parties, including the ruling Congress, which is likely to present a populist budget mainly aimed at fulfilling its remaining promise it made before coming to power.
Right from the morning, the opposition parties — Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AAP — switched into protest mode. AAP MLAs reached the Vidhan Sabha on bicycles in protest against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s “false” promises made to the people of the state.
Staging a cycle rally, starting from MLA Hostel and culminating at Vidhan Sabha, AAP legislators shouted slogans against Congress and Capt Amarinder riding cycles carrying pamphlets pointing at Congress’ unfulfilled promises during past four years.
“From drugs to farm loan-waiver and from post-matric scholarship to the Shagun scheme, Capt Amarinder has failed in fulfilling any of his promises. As today is the start of the budget session, we have started our protest against Capt Amarinder and his Government through this cycle rally and will not stop our protests till people’s aspirations and hopes are fulfilled,” said the leader of Opposition and AAP MLA from Dirba Harpal Singh Cheema.
As the House proceedings started on the first day of the budget session and the Governor began his address to the House, the members of the AAP and Akali Dal interrupted and started sloganeering also questioning the Governor for “not sending the amendments” passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on the farm Bills to the President.
The House witnessed massive ruckus when SAD MLAs, led by Bikram Singh Majithia, came to the well of the House, shouted slogans and hurled papers in the air as the Governor began his address. They continued raising slogans during the almost 20-minute-long speech of the Governor.
AAP legislators too shouted slogans against the State Government for its alleged failure in keeping its poll promises.
Later, SAD MLAs also shouted slogans like ‘Go Back Governor’ when Badnore and Capt Amarinder were leaving the assembly.
AKALI MLAs RAISE SLOGANS OF ‘GOVERNOR GO BACK’
SAD MLAs on Monday raised slogans of “Governor Go Back” for insulting Punjab Vidhan Saha and the state farmers as the Governor VP Singh Badnore did not give his assent to the three Bills, rejecting the central Agricultural laws, which were passed in the previous assembly session. The Akali legislators staged protests both outside the Vidhan Sabha when the Governor arrived to deliver his Address as well as inside the House following which the latter cut short his address.”Today’s protest has exposed the Congress party which proved that it is hand in glove with the Governor as well as the Central Government,” said former minister Bikram Singh Majithia. He said that SAD MLAs had also appealed to the Congress party to launch a joint protest against the Governor who had insulted all 115 legislators who had gone to him after the last assembly session to hand over the three Bills rejecting the central Agricultural Acts for assent. “The Governor has been sitting on the Bills since then which is also an insult to Punjabis,” he added.
Majithia also exposed the sham protest of the Punjab Congress and its president Sunil Jakhar saying that it was sheer hypocrisy that the Punjab Congress indulged in a farcical protest against the Governor in the morning and then laid out a red carpet for him to deliver his address to the House which was prepared by the Congress government.
AAP MLAs BURN COPIES OF GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS
AAP MLAs, as a sign of protest against the “lies” of the Governor and the Chief Minister since past four years, burnt the copies of the Governor’s address saying that it was for the fifth time that the Governor VP Singh Badnore and Capt Amarinder lied to the people of Punjab. Lashing out at Capt Amarinder, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that every year, Capt Amarinder writes a speech for the Governor and he just reads it out in the assembly, propagating the lies of the government. “We have been repeatedly saying that Capt Amarinder and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are in cahoots with each other. Today’s Governor’s address makes it amply clear,” he added.
BANDORE SKIPS SECTIONS DEALING WITH AGRI LAWS
As the Governor VP Singh Badnore, while reading out his address to the House on the first day of the Budget session, chose to skip the sections related to agriculture, the opposition parties lashed out at him. SAD MLA and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, taking on the Governor, said: “The very fact that the Governor did not read out a portion of the Address which dealt with the agricultural laws indicated that this portion had not been approved by the Central Government.” Leader of Opposition and AAP MLA Harpla Singh Cheema also stated that the sections, regarding agriculture and Punjab, were skipped by the Governor Badnore, proving that Capt Amarinder Singh and the Governor were mere puppets of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
HOUSE PAYS TRIBUTES TO FARM AGITATION ‘MARTYRS’, COVID VICTIMS, SARDOOL SIKANDER, OTHERS
Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday paid tributes to the farmers who died during the ongoing agitation against the Centre’s farm laws, unsung COVID warriors, eminent and political personalities, besides freedom fighters, who had passed away since the previous session of the Assembly.
More than 200 farmers, who were part of the agitation against the three farm legislations, had died due to varied reasons, including health issues like heart attack.
On the first day of the Budget session, the House also remembered former Union Home Minister Buta Singh, former ministers MS Gill, Major Singh Uboke, Bal Mukund Sharma, Satpal Gosain, Satwant Kaur Sandhu, former Deputy Minister of Joint Punjab Chandrawati, and former MLA Brij Lal Goyal.
In addition, the House also paid tributes to the noted Punjabi singer Sardool Sinkander, renowned bhajan singer Narinder Chanchal, and journalist Satbir Singh Dardi. The House also remembered Martyr Naib Subedar Parwinder Singh, freedom fighters Ajit Singh, Jathedar Gohal Singh Tur, Balwant Singh and Harbans Singh.
On the request of Mansa MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia, eminent theatre artiste Mohan Midha and noted writer Darshan Darvesh were also added to the obituary list.
A two-minute silence was observed in the memory of departed souls as a mark of respect during the obituary references.
Meanwhile, Speaker Rana Kanwar Pal Singh proposed that homage be paid to all those members who had passed away since the previous session. After the obituary references to the departed souls, he passed a resolution for conveying the condolences of the House to their respective families. The resolution was passed by voice vote.