Punjab Assembly session: Oppn slams govt for not tabling Bill against farm laws on Day 1

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, October 19

The Opposition parties here on Monday slammed the Punjab government for not tabling legislation to counter the Centre’s farm laws on the first day of the special assembly session, which was adjourned till Tuesday.

Reacting to it, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said they are consulting constitutional experts over the issue and copies of various bills to be tabled during the session will be given to the opposition parties by the evening.

Earlier, SAD MLAs rode tractors to the Vidhan Sabha, but were stopped by police at the Sector 2 roundabout. The usual drama attached with the session was witnessed as SAD MLAs rode tractors; so did Congress MLAs Gurkirat Kotli and Sukhpal Bhullar.

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AAP MLAs came to the Assembly wearing black capes.

The AAP MLAs staged a dharna in the Well of the House, demanding that they be given copies of the Bill against the farm laws to be tabled in the Vidhan Sabha.

High drama was witnessed outside Punjab Bhavan as Akali MLAs led by Bikram Majithia tried to enter to brief the media.

They raised slogans against the Congress government for being stopped outside the Bhavan, calling it a sham exercise and demanded copies of the Bill.  

Some MLAs scaled the gates and forced their way inside the Bhavan. Manpreet Ayali, Pawan Tinu and NK Sharma forcibly entered the Bhavan.

The Congress, through Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, moved a motion to include the names of all farmers who had died in the ongoing stir. Their names were included and the House paid obeisance to them, along with to nine others.

SAD leader Bikram Majithia told media that they chose tractor as a vehicle associated with farmers to mark their protest against the farm laws.

Before going into the House, Akalis burnt copies of farm laws outside the Vidhan Sabha.

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu also attended the session after long.

Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee chief Sunil Jakhar tweeted: “Punjab Vidhan Sabha should pass a unanimous resolution condemning the humiliating treatment meted out to the farmers representatives by Modi government in Delhi. In doing so BJP has insulted not just the farming community but Punjab itself”.

Punjab Vidhan Sabha should pass a unanimous resolution condemning the humiliating treatment meted out to the farmers representatives by Modi government in Delhi. In doing so BJP has insulted not just the farming community but Punjab itself.

— Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) October 19, 2020

The House was adjourned for an hour by Speaker Rana K P Singh after the assembly took up obituary references. The House reassembled for nearly 15 minutes before being adjourned till Tuesday.

As it reassembled, Leader of Opposition and AAP senior leader Harpal Cheema said the special session was called to counter new farm laws but the members “have not been given copies of the bills”.

“Will we get copies of the bills after the session is over,” he asked.

SAD member Gurpratap Singh Wadala said it seems the state government “does not have clarity” over the issue.

The main bill against the Centre’s farm laws should have been first tabled and discussed in the House, he said.

“The entire Punjab is watching what the government is doing. The legislation to counter the Centre’s farm laws should have been the first business of the House,” said the SAD leader.

Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia told reporters that a “fixed match is going on between the Congress government in Punjab and the Centre”.

“It seems the state government is under the Centre’s pressure,” he said, adding that the government is not clear what it needs to do.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal told the members in the House that they will get copies of bills to be tabled in the House in the evening.

He, however, said, “As far as countering farm laws is concerned, the government is already in consultation with constitutional experts.”

Earlier, the Speaker told the House that only urgent and important government business will be transacted during the session. He said questions or calling attention notices will not be taken up.

The House also paid respects to freedom fighters, soldiers, political and other eminent personalities.

All members observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect. — With PTI inputs

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