M A I N   N E W S

Walkout by Jakhar and Co over tainted ministers
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 3
With the names of three ministers figuring prominently in different controversies, the Akali-BJP Government was caught on the back foot on the first day of the Budget session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha today.

Congress MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar (centre) raise slogans after a walkout from the Assembly on Monday.

The Opposition Congress launched an attack on Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and jails minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur over their (in the case of Phillaur, his son Damanvir’s) names figuring in the investigations in the Rs 6,000 crore illicit drug trade and Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, who has been found guilty in the dual vote case.

Amidst a walkout staged by the 38 MLAs of the Congress Legislative Party led by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Jakhar, Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil was left with no option but to deliver his address only to those sitting on the treasury benches. While Majithia and Joshi were absent from the session, Sarwan Singh Phillaur was present in the House.

Raising slogans like “Nashiyan di sarkar murdabad”, the Opposition MLAs walked out of the House. Jakhar later demanded that the three ministers should have stepped down on their own on moral grounds.

“We are demanding their resignations with immediate effect. While the names of Majithia and Phillaur’s sons have figured in the drug smuggling case and investigations by the Enforcement Directorate against them are on, Joshi has been found guilty of having dual votes.

“We had sought an appointment from the Governor before the session to demand sacking of the three tainted ministers. But he was busy. We had to register our protest. So we walked out of the Assembly while he was addressing the House,” he said.

Jakhar also alleged that the Opposition leaders were not given any information on the Bills to be presented in the House or the questions that were to be taken up during the debate.

“This is a mockery of the legislative process where members of the House are not given enough time to read the Bills to be tabled in the Assembly and participate in discussions. Even the duration of the session needs to be extended so that all issues faced by the people can be taken up in the House,” he demanded.

Later in the evening, Jakhar led the Congress MLAs to the Governor and submitted a memorandum demanding the dismissal of the three ministers. Jakhar, however, clarified that the walkout was only for today. The Opposition would act responsibly and participate in all debates, he said.

Former chief minister and Congress MLA Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said the involvement of ministers in drug smuggling was a serious charge and the Akali-BJP government should come clean on it. “Earlier it was terrorism that ruined the youth of Punjab. Now there is drug menace. As responsible MLAs, its our duty to stop this menace. Since ministers are involved, we are demanding their resignation so that the drug trade does not get any political patronage and the investigations are not hindered,” she said.

Meanwhile, Akalis have decided to counter the Opposition when debate begins on Wednesday. Sources in the Shiromani Akali Dal said at a party meeting held in the afternoon, it was decided that the government would address all issues raised by the Opposition.

“We will counter all allegations. Ropar MLA Dr Daljit Cheema will lead the charge against the Congress and counter all allegations levelled against senior party leaders and ministers,” said a source.