Punjab budget session: Congress MLAs stage walkout after CM Mann, LoP Bajwa trade barbs

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and leader of the opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday traded barbs with each other before Congress legislators, led by Bajwa, walked out of the Punjab Assembly, demanding more time to speak during the discussion on the governor's address in Punjab Vidhan Sabha.Speaking in the House, Bajwa made scathing attacks on the AAP-led govt over law and order situation in rthe state and alleged inaction in bringing the culprits of Bargari and Behbal Kalan to book. He also questioned the ruling AAP over pre-poll guarantees, including Rs 1,000 per month to women in the state, for which he said the AAP-led govt owed every woman Rs 60,000 by factoring in arrears of five years. Bajwa's sharpest attack concerned the law and order situation in Punjab under the AAP-led regime, as he alleged that "no one's life or business is safe in Punjab" and "every third person in the state is getting extortion calls or letters". In an apparent remark that people of the state felt very insecure, Bajwa said the biggest favour common people sought from the MLAs and ministers was a recommendation for an arms licence. He also cited a loot incident "merely 200 metres away from Gurdaspur SSP residence" to explain the scale of the deteriorating law and order situation, even in broad daylight, in Punjab. The Congress MLA from Qadian took a jibe at the "guarantees" of the ruling AAP and, referring to the murders of three sarpanches, said, "The three sarpanches were shot dead in marriage functions. Those who cannot safeguard their own sarpanches are out giving guarantees." Bajwa also referred to allegations by a police head constable in Amritsar, who reportedly blamed drugs for his son's death. Bajwa said the head constable gave a statement that drugs were available like "Zomato delivery" in the state.In an ostensible reference to the AAP MP from Anandpur Sahib, Malvinder Singh Kang, but without directly naming him, Bajwa said one of the three MPs of AAP said there was police patronage in illegal mining and that the AAP leadership was involved. Irked over an interruption, Bajwa alleged that opposition members were not being allowed to speak and that even "zero hour" proceedings were not being held. He asked the Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, "If you don't give time to the opposition and don't listen to us, throw the opposition out," even as Sandhwan maintained that Bajwa was given enough time, including the time meant for his party colleagues, including Sukhpal Singh Khaira. CM Mann accused Bajwa of making "senseless" remarks when Bajwa took a dig at the AAP-led govt for issuing a notification on the old pension scheme about three years ago to gain political mileage and woo voters in election-bound Himachal Pradesh at that time. Bajwa alleged that after three years nothing moved beyond the mere notification, to which CM Mann asked, "Did you implement it?" Bajwa responded, "Yes, we did." CM Mann then questioned what the status of that was, to which Bajwa said, "Whatever the status may be." Bajwa accused the AAP-led govt of not fulfilling the promise of setting up 16 medical colleges. He also accused the AAP-led govt of ignoring 7.5 lakh govt employees, who "played a key role in formation of AAP govt", but awaited "16% DA". Bajwa asked state finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema if govt employees should keep some hope.Earlier, at the start of his address, Bajwa said Congress legislators did not agree with the majority of the things mentioned in the budget by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema. "But, as responsible opposition, we listened to the budget in pin-drop silence," Bajwa said, requesting the ruling AAP legislators to reciprocate in the same manner and listen to Congress MLAs with the "same love and respect." Alleging inaction in the Bargari and Behbal Kalan cases, Bajwa alleged that even after four years of formation of the AAP-led govt, sinners of the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib were not brought to book. Bajwa also reiterated his attack on Kejriwal for promising Rs 54k crore additional revenue annually, Rs 34k crore by addressing the scourge of corruption and Rs 20k crore by plugging loopholes in mining. Bajwa alleged that the promised revenue was projected to be spent on capital expenditure to create infrastructure like AIIMS and medical colleges. The flashpoint in the verbal spat between CM Mann and Bajwa, however, came when speaker Sandhwan informed the House that a delegation from Australia, comprising Professor Bernard Malik, politician Mark Robinson, and two others, was present and watching the Vidhan Sabha proceedings. Bajwa said Malik "hailed from my constituency and is my friend." Bajwa said there was nothing to offer for hospitality to the delegation, to which CM Mann objected strongly: "They will take along your memories as to how opposition behaves. We are the host and Punjabis are known for their hospitality, and you are saying we have nothing to offer. This is a state ruined by the Congress and we are trying to make it successful." After this, Sandhwan told Bajwa that his time was over and asked cabinet minister Aman Arora to speak. Arora took exception to the Congress walkout, calling it the "height of shamelessness." He also cited the March 6 walkout by Congress MLAs and said they walked out without listening to the governor's address. Hitting out at the Congress MLAs for staging a walkout from the House, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, "The walkout by them clearly demonstrated an inability to face the undeniable progress and developmental milestones achieved by the AAP govt."