Punjab assembly budget session, Day 2 : CM Mann, leader of Oppn Bajwa spar in House over VB functioning
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann and leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa were involved in a heated exchange of words in the Punjab assembly on Monday after the Congress leader raised questions on the functioning of the state vigilance bureau.
Chandigarh
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann and leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa were involved in a heated exchange of words in the Punjab assembly on Monday after the Congress leader raised questions on the functioning of the state vigilance bureau.
Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the governor’s address on the second day of the budget session, Bajwa and other Congress MLAs sought an apology from the CM alleging that he threatened the opposition legislators and leaders with vigilance bureau cases.
Presenting motion of thanks on the governor’s address, Bajwa referred to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha’s Sunday’s statement in which he had slammed the BJP government at the Centre of misusing central investigating agencies -- CBI and ED -- against its political rivals.
Bajwa said: “Chadha opined that BJP flag should be put at all the offices of central agencies. I also want to say to you (Mann), let us move forward. Tomorrow, do not force us to say that ‘put the AAP flag at the vigilance office (in Punjab)’,” said Bajwa.
Taking offence of Bajwa’s statement, the CM immediately rose from his seat and objected to the Congress leader’s remarks. “You cannot make such a statement that the AAP flag should be put up at the vigilance office,” Mann said and asserted that whosoever has done wrong will not be spared.
The CM said that a number of ministers in the previous Congress government may have joined the BJP, but the vigilance action against who have indulged in corrupt practices will continue.
To this, Bajwa said: “Then be prepared for (Delhi deputy CM Manish) Sisodia-like action against the people of your party,” asking the CM why he did not take action against AAP’s former state minister Fauja Singh Sarari and questioned the delay in arresting Bathinda Rural MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta.
Bajwa also asked Mann for clarity on reports of panchayat land being encroached upon by the promoter of Lovely Professional University, Ashok Mittal, who is also the Rajya Sabha member of the AAP.
Amid the heated exchanges between the two, Bajwa told Mann: “You are playing to the gallery. Sarari had resigned in January, months after he was embroiled in a controversy over an audio clip in which he allegedly discussed ways to ‘trap’ some contractors in order to ‘extort’ money.
Kotfatta was arrested in a bribery case by the VB last month, days after his aide Rashim Garg was caught by the VB in the same case.
Bajwa also asked the CM how much revenue had been generated from sand mining as AAP convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had promised to generate ₹20,000 crore in the first year for AAP government.
To this, the CM said: “Don’t worry, I will speak about that in my budget speech.”
Resuming speech after lunch, Bajwa said: “The CM has pointed fingers at the members of opposition and it is difficult to continue on such scenario,” asking the speaker to intervene for an apology by the CM. At that time, the CM was not present in the House.
“It doesn’t behove the way the CM is behaving. He has to be large hearted and take all members of the House together,” suggested Bajwa, even as the speaker made attempts to pacify him. “When I was addressing the House, it was functioning in order but the CM became furious and threatened opposition leaders,” said Bajwa.
“In future, in case something goes wrong to any member of the House, he is hit by a vehicle or by a gunshot, the CM will be held responsible and we bring this on record in the House,” said Bajwa.
As speaker tried to resume the functioning of the House, Bajwa asked him to take decision on the matter. Simultaneously, Congress MLAs entered the well of the House, disrupting the proceedings, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
Congress MLAs stayed out of the House when the proceedings resumed. They also didn’t attend lunch for which invitation to all members of the House was extended by the speaker.
Earlier AAP MLAs Jeewantjot Kaur and Principal Budh Ram also spoke while presenting a vote of thanks on the governor’s address.
Bajwa shielding the corrupt: CM
In a press statement later in the day, the CM slammed Bajwa for shielding the corrupt by criticising the vigilance bureau (VB) action against tainted leaders on the floor of the House.
“No one can stop me from acting against these culprits who have mercilessly robbed and ruined the state,” he added.
He reminded Bajwa that a former CM (Capt Amarinder Singh) of his party had submitted a list of corrupt ministers and MLAs during his tenure to the Congress high command. “Instead of acting against these corrupt leaders, his high command squatted over the list to avert embarrassment for the party, which had exposed the real face of the Congress,” added the CM.
