Punjab Minister’s stunner: Assess Manpreet Badal''s assets

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, February 14

A verbal duel between Congress’ Kuljit Singh Nagra and SAD’s NK Sharma on the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday spilled over, embroiling Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and his cousin, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. 

While the sparring MLAs agreed to a House committee to look into the “assets” acquired by both in the past 12 years, a suggestion for a similar committee to assess assets of Manpreet and Sukhbir was mooted by Power Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar, which left the House stunned.  

Sources within the ruling Congress claimed a “turf war” between Kangar and Manpreet Badal, as both represent Bathinda district. “That explains Kangar’s absurd proposal,” they said.

It all began after a vitriolic argument between Nagra and Sharma during a debate on a non-official resolution by BJP’s Som Prakash on “the growing superstition” in the state. 

Nagra remarked: “People, including NK Sharma, flock to pandits. He is wearing a tabeez (thread) and a nag (stone), which should be thrown away.” This drew a sharp reaction from Sharma. “I am a Pandit. If I go to pandits, your family members too have been flocking to them,” he claimed. 

The duel ended with Nagra seeking an inquiry into the assets acquired by Sharma in the past 12 years.

“It could also look into the assets acquired by me during the same period,” he suggested.

To look into the issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra proposed a House committee, following which Speaker Rana KP Singh announced an inquiry into Nagra and Sharma’s assets, ignoring the suggestion put forth by Kangar.

The debate on the resolution continued for almost three hours. 

The BJP leader suggested separate cremation grounds for SCs and non-SCs, which was vehemently opposed by Congress’ Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and SAD’s Gurpartap Singh Wadala.