Opposition objects to Aman Arora’s intervention during reply by Punjab Health Minister

Pandemonium marred the question hour on Tuesday as the Congress objected to Punjab Minister Aman Arora intervention’s while Health Minister Balbir Singh was replying to a question.

Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa had questioned the “government’s failure” in setting up government medical colleges as promised in its Budget speeches till date. Tempers flared between the treasury and opposition benches after Arora intervened.

Bajwa said the government had not even allotted land for 11 medical colleges among 16 it had promised.

Earlier, senior Congress MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said the government’s reply had instead mentioned private colleges in the list of its achievements. Arora entered the well of the House saying he had to come as the Congress was reacting unnecessarily while he was talking with folded hands.

All Congress legislators stood up in protest following which other AAP MLAs too entered the well of the House.

Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said the Assembly rules stipulate that the “council of ministers shall be collectively responsible for the legislative Assembly”, allowing Arora to respond. Replying to a query on unattended solid waste by Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, Housing and Urban Development Minister Sanjeev Arora said the state was working out details of a viable power project. He said a study on the solid waste management by urban local bodies of Hoshiarpur, Abohar, Bathinda, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Batala, Kharar, Dhuri, Mansa and Muktsar would be complete by July.