Will push for more sittings: Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, March 21

Newly elected Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Kultar Singh Sandhwan today said he would work to ensure each and every issue concerning the welfare and growth of Punjab and meant for welfare of Punjabis was discussed in the House.

He was speaking to The Tribune after his unanimous election as the Speaker of the 16th Vidhan Sabha. Sporting a red rose in the button hole of his pearl white ‘achkan’, an attire similar to what his granduncle and former President of India Giani Zail Singh used to wear, Sandhwan said he owed it to his grounded upbringing.

Will allow Opposition time

I will give time to speak to all Opposition MLAs.We will reply to each of their queries (pointing to Opposition benches), as the Opposition is very important for a functional democracy. —Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Speaker

Sandhwan remembered how, as an Opposition MLA, he had made several applications and proposals to ensure the number of sittings of the Vidhan Sabha should be increased.

“I will talk to the government for increasing the number of days of the Vidhan Sabha session. The CM has taken it positively. I will try that instead of reducing the days of session, as has been the past practice, we will increase the days of sittings so we know which public issues require immediate attention of lawmakers,” he said. Earlier, during the session, the proceedings began with the election of the Speaker. The proceedings were initiated by the Pro-Tem Speaker Inderbir Singh Nijjar. The name of Sandhwan was proposed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and was seconded by Harpal Cheema.

After Sandhwan was unanimously accepted by the House as Speaker, CM Mann addressed the House. Congratulating Sandhwan, he said he hoped as Speaker he would act in an unbiased manner and would give time to speak to all Opposition MLAs.

“We will reply to each of their queries (pointing to Opposition benches), as Opposition is very important for a functional democracy. I hope we make this Vidhan Sabha the most talked about House, where each and every issue is debated,” he said.

Opposition MLAs including Tript Bajwa, Manpreet Singh Ayali, Ashwani Kumar Sharma and Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi congratulated Sandhwan and hoped he would work in an unbiased manner and allow them sufficient time to speak. The Treasury benches took a friendly swipe, saying they would not do what the previous ruling party MLAs did to them. “All issues will be discussed and solutions found. We want to honour the mandate given to us,” said Aman Arora, Dr Budh Ram and Manjit Singh Bilaspur.

Many first-time MLAs such as Nijjar, Inderjit Kaur Mann and Tarunpreet Singh Sondh spoke on the occasion, pleading to raise people’s voice in the House.

On the sidelines

Bhagwant Mann for live coverage

CM Mann said he was in favour of airing the live proceedings of the House, as people should know what all transpired here and who speaks for them. Mann had done a live on his mobile from the Lok Sabha, which had landed him in trouble. The demand was also raised by Partap Singh Bajwa and Sukhpal Khaira. Speaker Sandhwan said that his party was always in favour of airing the proceedings live and he would discuss the matter soon.

Ex-President invoked

Invoking ex-President Giani Zail Singh, the granduncle of Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Congress MLA Tript Bajwa congratulated the Speaker and hoped he would reach the top position one day. Partap Bajwa said: “We (Congress) have a long association with ‘you’ (indirectly referring to ex-President) and hope you will take care of us.”

2 BJP MLAs take oath

BJP legislators Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal took oath on Monday. However, three members of the House — Ganieve Kaur Majithia, Rana Gurjeet Singh and his son and independent MLA Rana Inderbir — are yet to take oath.

Arora’s swipe at Congress

AAP MLA Aman Arora had the House in splits as he reminded the Opposition how his party raised slogans demanding discussion on public issues in the previous Vidhan Sabha, while you (referring to Congress MLAs) did not listen and chose to avoid debate. “You are on Opposition benches now,” he said.