SAD, BJP legislators condemn Cong’s ‘behaviour’ in House

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 23

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha today passed a government-sponsored resolution condemning the “behaviour” and “use of foul language” by the Opposition Congress in the House. The resolution was passed amid raising of slogans and staging of a walkout by the Congress.

After its no-confidence motion against the SAD-BJP government over drug issue was defeated, the Congress sought a resolution to targetPrime Minister Narendra Modi for calling Punjab a “drug-addict state”.

The Opposition MLAs, led by Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Kumar Jakhar, said since the state SAD-BJP leaders “did not agree with Modi’s assertion, they should condemn him for maligning Punjab’s image”.

The Prime Minister had, in his recent ‘Mann Ki Baat’ talk show on radio, referred to Punjab as a state affected badly by drugs .

The Congress began the day with the no-confidence motion. The party subsequently expanded its agenda. It sought to know the BJP’s stand on drug smuggling, demanded suspension of Akali MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha for objectionable remarks and called for a resolution against the Prime Minister.

The Assembly was adjourned a number of times when the Congress MLAs gathered in the well of the House and even occupied the seats of the Treasury benches. The Speaker tried to pacify the Opposition, but the Congress MLAs remained adamant on action against Valtoha. Around 3:45 pm, they walked out of the House amid raising of slogans.

Madan Mohan Mittal, senior BJP leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, then tabled an unlisted resolution — it was next passed — that sought to condemn the “behavior” of the Opposition. He alleged the Opposition had used “unparliamentary language, and that they did not show respect to the Chair of the Speaker”.

On the sidelines...

Majithia recites couplet
Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia recited a couplet to express his state of mind. “Bulandi mein guzra hun, masti mein guzra hun, jahan se guzra hun, masti mein guzra hun”. But he courted another controversy after he added the word ‘Sikh’ in a couplet regarding Guru Gobind Singh. This was objected to by Independent MLA Balwinder Bains. Later, Seaker Charanjit Singh Atwal said the remark had been expunged. However, Leader of the Opposition Sunil Jakhar, countering the Speaker’s claim, said  this was an after-thought and the remark was not expunged while the House proceedings were on. He said Majithia should apologise as he it was not the first time that he had misquoted religious verses.  

Invoking historical icons
Moving the no-confidence motion, Sunil Jakhar invoked several historical characters in his speech. Referring to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as Dronacharya, he said he had been observing Badal for acquiring political skills. He said the BJP should help the Congress kill the Bhasmasura of drugs in Punjab.  He also said that he would refrain from calling Badal Sahib Bhishma Pitamah as he did not wish to see the latter as helpless as  the historical figure. 

Finger pointed at BJP chief
BJP president Kamal Sharma’s name came up in the House when Sunil Jakhar said Ferozepur MLA  Parminder Pinky had a letter written by a DSP against the personal assistant of the state BJP president. In the letter, the DSP had alleged that the PA and other aides of the BJP chief had received a smuggler on his release from jail. This smuggler was caught with fake currency notes worth Rs 10 lakh, arms and drugs. 

Bains brothers back Cong The two independent MLAs from Ludhiana, Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjit Singh Bains, sided with the Congress. They carried placards against Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia. The MLAs, who are brothers, also carried banners that read: “Reta, chitte te smack di vyapari sarkar”. Another read: “Bikram Majithia isteefa dao”.