Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann holds Cabinet meet after Governor withdraws order for House session

Reacting to the Governor’s decision, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday questioned how he could refuse a session called by the cabinet, particularly after he had approved of it two days earlier. Saying “democracy is over”, Kejriwal added that the country today had on one side a Constitution, and on the other, BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’. The Delhi Chief Minister alleged the Governor withdrew permission after receiving calls from the “higher-ups”.

“When ‘Operation Lotus’ started failing and the number was not completed, a call came from above asking to withdraw the permission,” Kejriwal claimed.

The special Assembly session had been called by the AAP to prove its majority through a confidence motion, days after it alleged the BJP was trying to bring down its government in Punjab by poaching its MLAs.

To this, the Governor cited the absence of specific rules on summoning the Assembly for considering only a confidence motion. “In absence of specific rules regarding summoning of the Assembly for considering the confidence motion only called by the Punjab government on 22nd September through 3rd special session of 16th Vidhan Sabha, I, Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab, hereby withdraw my orders dated September 20, regarding summoning of the Vidhan Sabha session,” read the order issued by Raj Bhavan.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in reaction, had said: “Punjab Governor not allowing Vidhan Sabha session raises questions for the democracy in the country. Now, will the country be run by representatives elected by crores of people or an individual appointed by the Centre? On one side there is Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s Constitution and on the other is Operation Lotus. People are watching everything.”