Punjab Budget Session 2021: Speaker suspends all Akali Dal MLAs for entire session after ruckus in Assembly

Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh today suspended all Shiromani Akali Dal legislators following a ruckus in the House. The MLAs were suspended for the remaining part of the Budget session of the Punjab Assembly. The House witnessed continuous adjournments and uproar when Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was replying to the Governor’s address to the joint session. The legislators of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rushed to the well of the House and started shouting slogans resulting in chaos. The Speaker, who adjourned the House twice asking the SAD MLAs to let the proceedings continue, then suspended them for the rest of the session. Marshals then evicted the suspended MLAs. When the House was adjourned, the Akali MLAs sat on the floor of the House. The Budget Session will continue till March 10.

The SAD MLAs said that the Chief Minister’s speech contains a bundle of lies. Some of the members of the ruling party were also seen raising slogans against the opposition.

Speaking in the assembly, the CM attacked the Centre for not relenting on the farm law issue. He said, “It’s extremely regretful that Government of India has neither resolved the present farming crisis caused by their 3 Farm Laws nor have they conveyed assent of Hon’ble President under Article 254 (2) to the three amendments that Punjab Vidhan Sabha had passed in October 2020…..Because of this, not only the State has suffered a substantial economic loss but it has also sadly cost us lives of 125 farmers so far. The House resolves to once again urge upon the Government of India to withdraw these laws unconditionally in the larger interest of the farmers and the State and to continue with the existing system of MSP-based government procurement of food grains.”

It’s extremely regretful that Government of India has neither resolved the present farming crisis caused by their 3 Farm Laws nor have they conveyed assent of Hon’ble President under Article 254 (2) to the three amendments that Punjab Vidhan Sabha had passed in October 2020.(1/3) pic.twitter.com/35i5avAj0v

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 5, 2021

The Opposition SAD has continuously been attacking the Amarinder Singh-led government over various issues and the workers of both parties had clashed during the recently held Municipal elections. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal’s car was also attacked in the Jalalabad area during a campaign tour.

ਇੱਕ ਪਾਸੇ ਤਾਂ ਕੋਰੋਨਾ ਮਹਾਮਾਰੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਜਨਤਾ ਦਾ ਜਨ ਜੀਵਨ ਹਾਲੇ ਤੱਕ ਲੀਹ 'ਤੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਇਆ, ਉੱਪਰੋਂ ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਥੋਪੀ ਮਹਿੰਗੇ ਭਾਅ ਦੀ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਨੇ ਘਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਬਜਟ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਰੀ ਸੱਟ ਮਾਰੀ ਹੈ। ਵਿਧਾਨ ਸਭਾ ਦੇ ਬਾਹਰ ਮਹਿੰਗੀ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਦੇ ਬੋਝ ਹੇਠ ਦਬ ਰਹੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਬੁਲੰਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਵਿਧਾਇਕl pic.twitter.com/lP5lALKAhU

— Shiromani Akali Dal (@Akali_Dal_) March 5, 2021

The elections saw a straight contest between SAD and Congress after AAP and BJP failed to perform up to the expectation. The SAD had broken its alliance with the BJP over farmers’ protest and Agri bill issues.