Chandigarh March 18:
The Opposition Congress today stalled the proceedings of the Punjab Assembly in support of their demands, forcing Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon to adjourn the House thrice during the day.
The Speaker adjourned the House for 20 minutes for the first time after Congress MLAs demanded a White Paper from the SAD-BJP government on the state economy. The Congress members claimed taht figures contained in the 2011-12 Budget were ''fudged'' and hence no discussion could be held on ''untrue'' figures. The Congress MLAs demanded that the government come up with actual figures, maintaining that only then could the Budget be discussed.
The opposition members also demanded that a vote-on-account be passed by the Assembly to meet day-to-day expanses of the state, apart from constitution of an Assembly committee to probe sale/auction of government land to private persons. Congress MLAs alleged that precious gvernment land had been given to private persons at throwaway prices. As the House reassemble after the first adjournment, Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal again demanded acceptance of three demands made by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in his Assembly speech yesterday. She asserted that only then would Congress MLAs take part in the discussion on the Budget.
Since the treasury benches did not accept the demands, Congress MLAs again trooped into the well of the House and started raising slogans. As opposition protest continued, the Speaker adjourned the House the second time for an hour. As soon as the House reassembled after the second adjournment, Congress members again demanded that their demands be accepted. As the government was not forthcoming on the acceptance, opposition members again assembled in the well of the House and resorted to pitched protests.
Assembly security staff formed a human wall to prevent Congress members from going near the Speaker's chair. Congress MLA jostled with security personnel and tried to climb up to the Speaker's podium. But the security managed to push the opposition MLAs back. This continued for almost an hour. Bibi Harchand Kaur Ghanauri, Congress MLA from Sherpur, was prevented by female watch and ward staff from breaking through the cordon to reach near the Speaker. Meanwhile, MLA Makhan climbed a table and started raising slogans and speaking out something that was not audible due to the din in the House.
Similarly, Ripjit Singh Brar, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Kewal Dhillon and Balbir Singh Sidhu also climbed the table one by one and started raising slogans. Makhan Singh was warned by the Speaker many times that he could lose his Assembly seat. Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon made repeated requests to protesting Congress MLAs to resume their seats but to no avail. The Speaker then adjourned the House for the day.
The Opposition Congress today stalled the proceedings of the Punjab Assembly in support of their demands, forcing Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon to adjourn the House thrice during the day.
The Speaker adjourned the House for 20 minutes for the first time after Congress MLAs demanded a White Paper from the SAD-BJP government on the state economy. The Congress members claimed taht figures contained in the 2011-12 Budget were ''fudged'' and hence no discussion could be held on ''untrue'' figures. The Congress MLAs demanded that the government come up with actual figures, maintaining that only then could the Budget be discussed.
The opposition members also demanded that a vote-on-account be passed by the Assembly to meet day-to-day expanses of the state, apart from constitution of an Assembly committee to probe sale/auction of government land to private persons. Congress MLAs alleged that precious gvernment land had been given to private persons at throwaway prices. As the House reassemble after the first adjournment, Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal again demanded acceptance of three demands made by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in his Assembly speech yesterday. She asserted that only then would Congress MLAs take part in the discussion on the Budget.
Since the treasury benches did not accept the demands, Congress MLAs again trooped into the well of the House and started raising slogans. As opposition protest continued, the Speaker adjourned the House the second time for an hour. As soon as the House reassembled after the second adjournment, Congress members again demanded that their demands be accepted. As the government was not forthcoming on the acceptance, opposition members again assembled in the well of the House and resorted to pitched protests.
Assembly security staff formed a human wall to prevent Congress members from going near the Speaker's chair. Congress MLA jostled with security personnel and tried to climb up to the Speaker's podium. But the security managed to push the opposition MLAs back. This continued for almost an hour. Bibi Harchand Kaur Ghanauri, Congress MLA from Sherpur, was prevented by female watch and ward staff from breaking through the cordon to reach near the Speaker. Meanwhile, MLA Makhan climbed a table and started raising slogans and speaking out something that was not audible due to the din in the House.
Similarly, Ripjit Singh Brar, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Kewal Dhillon and Balbir Singh Sidhu also climbed the table one by one and started raising slogans. Makhan Singh was warned by the Speaker many times that he could lose his Assembly seat. Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon made repeated requests to protesting Congress MLAs to resume their seats but to no avail. The Speaker then adjourned the House for the day.
