After a day of spats between the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Vidhan Sabha had yet another tumultuous day as Congress threatened to stay out till Chief Minister apologised for his remarks against the Opposition party.
While the proceedings in the house continued to be heated, parents of slain Punjabi folk singer Sidhu Moose Wala sat in dharna outside the complex. They, however, ended their protest on assurance that the Chief Minister would meet them after March 20.
Parents and some family friends of Sidhu Moose Wala, accompanied by Congress leaders, carrying placards in support of their demands, walked to the Vidhan Sabha complex and started a dharna to demand justice for the slain singer.
Sukhjinder Randhawa, along with other Congress leaders, demanded that the name of media advisor to CM Bhagwant Mann be added to the FIR of the murder case of the singer.
The Congress leaders held that it was Chief Ministers’ Media Adviser who allegedly leaked information about the scaling down of security of Sidhu Moose Wala, a day before his assassination. The Congress leaders wanted the Media Adviser charged under Section 120-B of Indian Penal Code.
Moose Wala’s parents, Balkaur Singh and Charan Kaur, while talking to the media maintained that justice was still being denied in the case of murder of their son.
Balkaur Singh said despite their naming the five main suspects, the police were yet to arrest them. The murder of the two accused in the Goindwal jail was part of the conspiracy to eliminate the evidence.
“In the past 10 months, I went to the police and administration several times. I was assured of justice. But they are brushing the murder of my child under the carpet. Nothing is going in my favour. So I had to come to the state Assembly,” Balkaur Singh told media persons.
Later, on assurance from NRI Minister Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal that the Chief Minister would meet them after March 20, they agreed to end their dharna.
After assurance by the minister, Balkaur Singh said, “Take whatever time you want, but give us justice. This is the last time we are meeting you. Otherwise I will launch a door-to-door campaign for justice to my son. I can arrange a huge gathering to show what the people want.”
While dharna by Sidhu Moose Wala was continuing outside Vidhan Sabha, events inside the House were equally acrimonious. Peeved over the previous days’ spats between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, the Congress Legislature Party decided to boycott the proceedings of the Assembly Punjab Vidhan Sabha till CM Bhagwant Mann apologised for “intimidating the Congress MLAs”.
Partap Bajwa declared that Congress legislators would not participate in the House activities till Mann was present. Congress would participate in the House proceedings only in the absence of the CM, till the time he apologised. There were heated arguments between Mann and Bajwa on Monday.
Bajwa, who came to the House at the end of the Question Hour, said “The CM did not express regret over using the unparliamentary language on Monday. We will attend the House on Tuesday till he is not there. When he arrives, we will walk out.”
Later, the Congress members walked out of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha as soon as Bhagwant Mann arrived there.
Though initially it appeared that the MLAs were in no mood to walk out, Mann taunted them, “You had declared you would walk out. Why did you not do so?”
As soon as they heard it, they walked out.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira, however, remained in the House, maintaining that he wanted to clarify on the allegations levelled by Rural Development Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal of land being illegally grabbed in his native village.
Khaira came to the Well of the House to protest. He got into a verbal duel with CM Mann, but refused to be cowed down.
Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan intervened and said he would allow Khaira to speak. Khaira went back and took his seat. The CM again taunted him, “Tussi gaye nahin?”
Prabhjot Singh