Cong MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira not allowed to speak in Punjab assembly, Congress walks out twice

Chandigarh: Chaotic scenes unfolded in the Punjab assembly on Monday as Congress walked out of the House twice, once during the zero hour and next during a discussion on the governor's address, with the opposition party's moot point being that speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was not allowing Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira to speak.
During the zero hour, Khaira was not given an opportunity to speak, despite repeated requests from leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa to Sandhwan.
Khaira too made several attempts, but he was ignored. Before leaving the House, Khaira accused the speaker of setting a wrong precedent. A heated exchange followed between Khaira and the speaker, with Congress leader Pargat Singh joining in and accusing the Sandhwan of misleading the House. "Nobody can force the chair. It is the chair to see who is to speak," Sandhwan told Khaira and asked MLA Rana Inderpartap Singh to speak.
Thereafter, Khaira sat down. A few minutes later, he again rose from his seat and demanded the speaker to allow him to raise farmer related issues.
The speaker, however, let MLA Sandeep Jakhar to raise his issues.
When Khaira expressed displeasure over not being allowed to speak, Sandhwan told him, "You are preventing an honourable member from putting forth issues of the people of Punjab." Congress MLAs then went to the well of the House before staging a walkout.
Talking to media outside assembly, Bajwa condemned the "dictatorial behaviour" and not allowing opposition MLAs sufficient time to raise public issues during the assembly session.
He also criticised the speaker's treatment meted out to Khaira and Pargat Singh. "Sukhpal Singh Khaira was denied the opportunity to speak despite his repeated attempts and my request. This has been happening to him since last year," said Bajwa. He emphasised that the Congress party stood firmly with both Khaira and Pargat Singh.
Later, during the discussion on governor's address, Congress MLAs trooped to the well of the House. Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema objected to the use of "unparliamentary language" by Khaira to criticise the Sandhwan.
Before the Congress MLAs walked out a second time, the speaker asked Bajwa: "Is only one (Congress) member capable of raising issues of the state?"
‘BUNDLE OF LINES'
Bajwa said AAP govt handed over a "bundle of lies" to governor Gulab Chand Kataria. "AAP govt has failed on every single count. There is no achievement to show," he claimed.
Participating in the discussion on governor's address, Bajwa said there was nothing substantive in the speech. He criticised AAP govt for the recent assault on a serving colonel in Patiala on March 13 and detention of farm' leaders after they were called for a meeting on March 20. Bajwa added that to evict farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, Punjab Police not only uprooted their tents but also took away 135 trollies. "Arresting farm union leaders on the pretext of a meeting has never happened in the history of independent Punjab. This is not the tradition of Punjab," he said.
It resulted in a heated exchange between Bajwa and Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal. The latter intervened to accuse Bajwa of "misleading the House." The minister pointed out that the farmers were called for a meeting by a team of Union ministers and not the state govt. "You may make your point, but don't lie," said Dhaliwal. Bajwa retorted by asking: "Who detained the farmers' leaders? You did it."
‘GURANTEES UNFULFILLED'
Bajwa said a key pre-poll guarantee of AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to give a monthly allowance of Rs 1,100 to every women remained unfulfilled. "You took votes of women voters but didn't honour the promise. During Lok Sabha elections, the amount was raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,000. State govt owes Rs 36,000 to every woman voter that has accrued over the past three years," he said.
He also accused AAP govt of not delivering justice in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing, and sacrilege, cases. He added former IPS officer and AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh was not given a chance to pursue the case by AAP leadership. "Kejriwal had also promised to wipe out the drug trade in four months. But they have been reminded of the drug issue after three years. Action is being taken against small fish of the drug trade. Vacant properties are being demolished as part of the campaign. What about senior police officers? It is all a cosmetic exercise" he said.
Dhaliwal reminded Bajwa of similar promises by the previous Congress govt. "AAP govt still has two years. Why do you worry? Action will be taken," he insisted.
Bajwa also slammed AAP govt for not implementing old pension scheme (OPS) even after issuing a notification. He added Kejriwal's promise of generating additional revenue from sand mining was also not fulfilled. "Where is the remaining Rs 59,100 crore? State's debt is set to rise to Rs 3.75 lakh crore at the end of the fiscal," he added.
On the deportation of Indians from US, Bajwa sought to know if chief minister Bhagwant Mann had written to the PM to raise an objection to the US military plane landing in Amritsar. Dhaliwal clarified that CM himself was there at the Amritsar airport and had also written a letter to the Centre.
Bajwa said 1,100 police personnel have been deputed for the security of CM and his family while 1,200 personnel are deputed for the entire Mohali district. "Their leader who drives a Wagon R now comes in a Land Cruiser. They talked of ending VIP culture, but the CM now moves in a cavalcade of 123 cars," he said, adding that the AAP govt indulged in political vendetta against Congress leaders Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Sunder Sham Arora.
Pargat Singh raised the issue of illegal mining that was leading to ecological imbalance. On drug trade, he cited an incident where an underage addict committed suicide after he was harassed by a now suspended SHO in his constituency. Minister for mines Barinder Kumar Goyal said he had visited Jalandhar and found that the digging of 40 feet was done during the previous Cong govt. He also sought to know details of the Punjab Police security given to Kejriwal.
1ST TIME GUV'S SPEECH IN HINDI
Bajwa said it was for the first time that the governor gave his address in Hindi. The speaker clarified that as per the Constitution, there was nothing wrong with speaking in Hindi.
BAJWA OBJECTS TO SHAH's REMARK
Bajwa urged the House to take note of Union home minister Amit Shah make a reference to the Guru Granth Sahib while making a statement in Parliament. The speaker later said that the issue could be referred to religious experts. BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma said what mattered was the intent of what Shah said.
IMPARTIAL TO OPPN: SPEAKER
Speaker Sandhwan said his intent was to become the most "impartial speaker" in the history of Punjab legislative assembly. "I believe that for a healthy democracy, the opposition should have its say. I have given extra time to the opposition," he said.
CONG QUESTIONS CM'S ABSENCE
Bajwa also expressed displeasure over CM Mann not participating in the debate on the governor's address, accusing him of disregarding parliamentary conventions. Bajwa argued that as the leader of the house, the CM was expected to be present and conclude the debate on the address. "By skipping the discussion, the CM has effectively conceded to the allegations levelled against his government," he asserted. Citing parliamentary tradition, Bajwa emphasised that the chief minister's absence from such a crucial debate reflects poorly on the govt's accountability and commitment to democratic norms.