Amid din over farm laws, Pb Governor Address disrupted

Blurb: Oppn accuses Badnore of sitting on amendments passed to counter Acts

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 1

The first day of the Punjab Assembly’s Budget session saw political drama unfolding during the Governor’s Address. The opposition parties targeted the state over its “unfulfilled” poll promises and the Centre over not repealing the three farm laws.

Chaos prevailed as SAD MLAs led by Bikram Majithia stormed into the Well of the House and raised slogans against Governor VP Singh Badnore for not forwarding the amendments passed by the state to counter the three farm laws to the President.

AAP MLAs led by Harpal Singh Cheema joined the Akalis. Lok Insaaf Party MLAs Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Bains too protested against the Governor.

Amid sloganeering, Badnore read only a few pages of his 48-page speech and stopped abruptly, stating that his address should be treated as read. The Governor’s Address customarily reflects the stand of the state government. The Congress highlighted steps taken to counter the farm laws.

Later, the Assembly paid tributes to the farmers who died during the ongoing agitation. The House also remembered former Union Home Minister Buta Singh, former ministers MS Gill, Major Singh Uboke, Bal Mukund Sharma and Satpal Gosain.

The House also paid tributes to Punjabi singer Sardool Sinkander, bhajan samrat Narendra Chanchal and freedom fighters Ajit Singh, Gohal Singh Tur and Balwant Singh.

Earlier, Congress MLAs protested outside the House against the Modi-led BJP government over the rising fuel and LPG prices.