'AAP govt does not 'recognise' you,' Congress to Punjab Governor over his ‘my govt’ reference

PTI

Chandigarh, March 3

Heated exchanges took place between AAP and Congress members on the first day of the budget session in Punjab on Friday after the Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa asked Governor Banwarilal Purohit to not use the phrase “my government” in his address, saying the AAP government does not “recognise” him.

Just as Purohit made the customary “my government” reference, Bajwa urged him to not use the phrase.

“This very government does not recognise you. They have still not answered the questions you have asked them,” said Bajwa, referring to the governor's letter on the selection process for sending government school principals for training in Singapore.

Bajwa also said the Aam Aadmi Party government had called Purohit “selected” after he had allegedly delayed calling the budget session of the assembly.

Responding to Bajwa, the governor said he “agreed” with what Bajwa was saying but added that there should be no controversy. “Ok, I will use only government, 'my government' I will not speak,” Purohit added, requesting Congress members to take their seats in the House.

Purohit then told Bajwa that whatever incidents he had mentioned had happened outside the House and not inside it.

By then, a heated exchange had ensued between AAP members and Congress MLAs, who kept opposing the use of “my government” by the governor. CM Bhagwant Mann then got up from his seat and protested. He insisted that the governor must use “my government” in his address.

Purohit asked Congress MLAs to discuss and argue after his address.

“This is the first day and it is an important session,” said Purohit.

“Let us complete our job. Better to avoid controversy,” the governor said.

He then skipped the word “my” and began, “The government is going to successfully complete the first year in the coming days...” This prompted the chief minister to again lodge his protest with the Chair. But Purohit told him, “Listen to me, I am not a first-time governor. I was the governor of Assam, I was the governor of Meghalaya and I was the governor of Tamil Nadu.” He said at some places in his speech the word 'my' is used and at some others it was not used to refer to the government. “In the past five years, I have delivered several budget speeches, so it is not that important to be very frank with you,” Purohit told Mann.

However, as the chief minister kept protesting, he later relented.

“Because the cabinet decision is there. He (Mann) is also correct to that extent and I am bound by that,” Purohit said, amid a thumping of the desk by the ruling party members.

When the governor spoke about sending the first batch of 36 school principals to Singapore, Congress member Bajwa again got up and asked him whether he has got a reply to his questions from the state government. The governor had raised questions on the selection process of the principals.

Replying to Bajwa, Purohit said “Caesar's wife should not only be above suspicion but should be seen to be so... I am confident whatever information I have sought they (the government) will submit to me.” When the Congress MLAs decided to walk out, Purohit told them, “I will request you to remain present in the House and hear my speech at least.” However, the Congress legislators refused to budge and walked out of the House.  

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