Privilege motion against Sukhbir Badal passed

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 23

The Vidhan Sabha today passed a privilege motion against SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, even as Akali-BJP MLAs continued their protest against Speaker Rana KP Singh over his allegedly biased conduct yesterday.

The motion was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, alleging that Sukhbir had used derogatory language against the Speaker yesterday. It was unanimously passed by the House in the absence of all Opposition MLAs, who had walked out earlier.

Sukhbir led his MLAs to the Governor later in the evening, demanding action against the Speaker for ordering the use of force against MLAs, the tossing of turbans of Gursikh legislators and the manhandling of women MLAs by the watch and ward staff. They also handed over a memorandum to the Governor.

Short-lived bonhomie

Yesterday’s bonhomie between SAD-BJP and AAP MLAs was missing today, with Leader of the Opposition HS Phoolka calling the Akalis corrupt and Kanwar Sandhu welcoming the expose of the cable mafia. Sukhbir later said that he had taken up the case of AAP MLAs yesterday as he was upset at the use of force on elected representatives.

The alliance’s Hindu MLAs — Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi, NK Sharma, Pawan Kumar Tinu and Som Parkash — too wore turbans today.

Tinu said this was a gesture in defiance of the “anti-Sikh” Congress government.