Oppn guns for DGP, stalls House proceedings

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24

The Vidhan Sabha today resonated with the demand for dismissal of DGP Dinkar Gupta, as legislators from both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the SAD-BJP vied with each other to raise the issue more emphatically than the other.

All through the day, the protesting MLAs did not budge from their stand and sought the DGP’s dismissal over his remark on Kartarpur corridor. The issue was first raised by AAP MLAs, who stormed the well of the House. Carrying placards that read, “I went to Kartarpur Sahib. I am not a terrorist,” the Akali-BJP MLAs, too, refused to take their seats and raised slogans, even as they missed their chance to debate on the Governor’s address.

AAP rebel MLA Kanwar Sandhu alleged that the DGP’s statement appeared to be an attempt to ensure that the corridor was closed down. He demanded a debate on the issue. He reminded the treasury benches that the conflict of interest Bill and promises to rein in cable, transport, sand and liquor mafias remained unfulfilled.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who made an appearance in the House after a long hiatus, demanded that the government respond to the Opposition demand for DGP’s dismissal. The Speaker tried to reason that the CM, who was not present in the House today, would give a detailed statement on the issue on Tuesday, but to no avail.

It was only Congress MLAs who spoke on the Governor’s address, patting their own back for the development works and upgrade of school and health infrastructure.

As the Opposition MLAs kept protesting for almost the entire length of the nearly four-hour sitting, Speaker Rana KP Singh was forced to ask the marshals to lead them out of the House. The immediate provocation was a complaint made by the Vidhan Sabha staff, saying that the Opposition party MLAs had disconnected the speakers kept in front of the reporters, who record the proceedings of the House.

Granting the marshals 15 minutes to evict the protesting MLAs, the Speaker adjourned the House. As the marshals and senior police officers tried to force the Opposition MLAs out, they huddled together and took their seats. Seeing the situation going out of hand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra reportedly went and met the Speaker, asking him to withdraw his order.

After the Speaker returned to his chair, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi asked the Speaker to take a lenient view and allow the House to function. The Speaker, while admonishing the Opposition MLAs, said breaking equipment in the House amounted to disruption of the House proceedings. When Mohindra, too, echoed Channi’s opinion, Rana KP Singh, adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier amid chaos created in the House by 26 MLAs (12 each of AAP and the SAD and two of BJP), Congress MLA from Patti Harminder Singh Gill pointed fingers at Akali MLA Bikram Majithia and made some comments, including his alleged links with arrested Akali leader Anwar Masih.

He praised his own government for the “excellent arrangements” made for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak in November last year and accused the Akalis of politicising the celebrations. He also accused the SAD leadership of misusing SGPC funds.

Amid din, Manpreet reads book

• As chaos reigned supreme, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, seemingly unaffected, was seen reading a book. Other ministers chose the occasion to either chit-chat among themselves or meet other party MLAs sitting on the rear benches
• Some friendships were clearly visible in the House. Brahm Mohindra, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi huddled together
• Aruna Chaudhray, Razia Sultana and Charanjit Singh Channi had a heart-to-heart talk; so were Sukhbinder Singh Sukh Sarkaria and Kushaldeep Singh Kiki Dhillon. Kanwar Sandhu and Sukhpal Khaira shared a common bench
• While AAP leaders protested in the House, rebels — Kanwar Sandhu, Pirmal Singh, Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Sukhpal Singh Khaira — remained glued to their seats

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.