Congress stages walkout, asks Punjab CM to address Governor Banwarilal Purohit's queries
Rajmeet Singh
Chandigarh, March 3
The Congress put the AAP government on the defensive on the issue of “accepting the constitutional authority of the Governor” on the opening day of the Budget session today.
After repeatedly cornering the Treasury Benches on the “elected versus selected Governor” controversy, Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, staged a walkout form the House, stating that there was no point in listening to the speech since the government considered him a “selected Governor”.
“The strategy to corner the AAP government was finalised at a meeting of the CLP ahead of Governor’s Address. It appeared that the Treasury Benches were not prepared for the onslaught on the very first day. The Opposition was playing to the gallery as the Governor digressed from his address, subtly chiding the Treasury Benches,” said a senior Congress leader present in the House.
After the walkout, Bajwa said the CM should address the queries raised by the Governor. He said the CM did not utter a single word on the issue. “After meetings of the Governor and CM Bhagwant Mann with the Union Home Minister, the Governor appeared to be under pressure to read the Address. However, he gave enough subtle indications of not agreeing with the content of the Address. The AAP government has failed. It is a party of anarchists, who do not believe in the Constitution,” said Bajwa.
On the CM’s insistence to seek paramilitary forces from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bajwa said, “We don’t want the Centre’s intervention in Punjab, but the CM himself went there and surrendered to the BJP-led Central Government. He sought paramilitary forces for the state and the Centre readily provided these without any second thought.”
He alleged that AAP and the BJP were working hand in glove. “He (Mann) has clearly bowed down before the BJP and has accepted that he will follow the orders of his bosses (BJP). AAP is working in the state to implement the BJP’s agenda. Mann seems ready to dance to the tunes of the BJP,” he said. PCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, “The faceoff between the Governor and the AAP government is far from over. We will corner the government on all fronts.”
