Punjab Vidhan Sabha sitting over in 9 mins; tributes paid to Lakhimpur Kheri and farmers’ stir victims

Chandigarh, November 8

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday led the Vidhan Sabha in paying tribute to eminent personalities, freedom fighters, martyred soldiers besides political personalities, who had passed away since the last session of the Assembly.

This was the first session held after Channi took over as Chief Minister, replacing Capt Amarinder Singh. Lording over the Assembly as the Leader of the House, his political journey has come a full circle as he was the Leader of Opposition in the previous term of the Vidhan Sabha.

The attendance in the House was thin, though some MLAs came later and marked their attendance without attending the nine-minute-long session. Former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, minister Rana Gurjit Singh, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, former Finance Minister and rebel Akali leader Parminder Singh Dhindsa were among the prominent absentees today.

Interestingly, PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Advocate General APS Deol sat almost face to face. Though the seat of the Advocate General is on the treasury benches, just behind the CM’s seat, Deol was seen seated in the officers’ gallery, almost opposite to the place where Sidhu was.

On the first day of the special session of 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the House paid respects to former Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, former Parliamentary Secretary Ravinder Singh Sandhu, Martyr Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh, Martyr Sepoy Manjit Singh, IFFCO Chairman Balwinder Singh Nakai, and freedom fighters’ Niranjan Singh and Avinash Chander. The House also paid tribute to martyr Sepoy Gajjan Singh and freedom fighter Arjan Singh.

Meanwhile, Minister Pargat Singh proposed the names of four farmers and a journalist killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident for obituary references. Likewise, Leader of the Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema also proposed the names of those who died in the farmers’ agitation.

A two-minute silence was observed in the memory of departed souls during the obituary references. — TNS

PCC president, AG come face to face

PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Advocate General APS Deol came face to face in the Assembly. Deol was seen seated in the officers’ gallery, almost opposite to where Sidhu was.

Capt, Badal among prominent absentees

Former Chief Ministers Capt Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, besides Cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh & ex-Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa stayed away

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