Bitter war of words between Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, LoP Partap Singh Bajwa
Rajmeet Singh
Chandigarh, March 4
The second day of the Budget session of the Vidhan Sabha saw Opposition MLAs walking into the trap of the treasury benches, as the day proceedings began with a debate on the Governor’s Address in withdrawal of the set norms of beginning the day with Question Hour.
While the day one saw the Opposition attacking CM Bhagwant Mann on handling farmer’s agitation, today the CM seemed to have come prepared to set the narrative for the day by cornering the Congress as he presented a gift of padlock to Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to lock the House from inside and stop the Opposition from running away from the debate on the Governor’s Address.
The Congress, led by CLP Leader Partap Bajwa, accused the CM of diverting the attention from the real issues by resorting to theatrics and allegedly displaying unconstitutional behaviour and making mockery of the House.
Though the CM had expressed ‘desire’ to keep the Opposition in the House, the demand to start the day with a debate on the Governor’s address caught Congress MLAs off guard. The MLAs, who claimed to have come prepared for the debate after Question Hour, found themselves in a piquant situation as they kept on raising slogans in the well of the House for over four hours.
The CM and Bajwa were seen taking potshots at each other’s personal lives and the argument looking more like political speeches. As the Opposition refused to relent, the CM hinted at opening an inquiry against PPCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Warring hit back saying that he was open to any inquiry and had nothing to fear.
The CM also accused Bajwa and Warring of asking tickets for their wives in the parliamentary elections. Without naming anyone, the CM again accused the family of one of the MLAs of being involved in gold biscuit smuggling. He also tried to engage Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira as the former questioned his political loyalty. “He (Khaira) remained with us. We had a very bad experience”, said the CM, as Khaira later accused Mann of threatening and brow-beating the Congress MLAs.
Bajwa dares CM
As CM Bhagwant Mann dared Partap Bajwa to contest from any seat in the coming parliamentary elections, the CLP leader accepted the challenge. Bajwa said, “Fight from any of the 13 seats, I will contest against you to correct your misconception. People will give mandate against you”.
When rivals almost came to blows
Soon after Bajwa made a remark against the CM, stating that most of his MLAs were not with him and urged the Speaker to become the CM in place of Mann, treasury bench members rushed towards Bajwa and almost came to blows but MLAs of both parties intervened and pacified them. Mann hit back saying that his dream of becoming the CM would never be fulfilled and he could come and sit with him to “get the feel” of office.
MLA Kotli in tears
As Congress MLA Sukhwinder Kotli (pic) questioned the CM for not making a Dalit Deputy CM, as promised, the CM said Kotli had suffered “seizure”. Congress termed it anti-Dalit remark. Kotli was seen in tears as he took on the CM, outside the House.
CM perturbed
As argument between Bhagwant Mann and the CLP leader escalated, the apparantly perturbed, CM tried to cross the Well of the House but was stopped by Finance Minister Harpal Cheema.
