Punjab: Blocked From Assembly Entry, Congress MLAs Clash With AAP Leaders, Boycott Session
A fresh confrontation between Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Congress erupted on Tuesday after several Congress MLAs, including Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Partap Singh Bajwa and Pargat Singh, were reportedly stopped from entering the Punjab Vidhan Sabha premises.
The incident triggered protests by Congress legislators on the final day of the Assembly session, which the party later boycotted over Khaira being denied entry.
An altercation also broke out between AAP MLA Jasvir Singh Raja Gill and senior Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.
The confrontation took place during a media address by Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh. The minister accused Congress legislators of disrupting proceedings by preventing him from addressing the press.
Bajwa Questions Notice Blocking Congress MLAs' Entry
As Question Hour began, Bajwa objected to Congress MLAs being stopped from entering the House. The legislators staged a protest, following which Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan clarified that no MLA could be prevented from entering the Assembly unless they were under suspension.
Bajwa also questioned the validity of the notice reportedly issued to block their entry, alleging that it did not bear the Speaker's signature.
Speaking to ANI, Bajwa condemned the move, saying that an elected representative had never been denied entry into the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the state's history.
"Even if Sukhpal Singh Khaira was suspended, he has the right to enter the Assembly premises, after which the Speaker can ask him to refrain from participating," he said.
Bajwa also questioned the circumstances surrounding the notice, asking whether the Assembly was governed by the Constitution of India. He alleged that the Speaker did not respond to his questions and questioned why officials were expected to act on a notice that was not signed.
Congress Burns Broom, Boycotts Final Day Of Session
Earlier, Congress MLAs burnt a broom, AAP's election symbol, outside the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to protest against what they described as the government's failures on key issues.
Dressed in black robes and carrying placards, the legislators raised slogans against the ruling party. They later boycotted the final day of the session after Khaira was denied entry.
Khaira was suspended from the remainder of the ongoing session on Friday after state Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema moved a resolution against him.
Cheema accused the Congress MLA of using unparliamentary language against the Chair and deliberately disrupting Assembly proceedings.
The minister cited Khaira's conduct during a protest by Congress legislators in Question Hour. While moving the resolution, Cheema also criticised the Congress, accusing it of hypocrisy and referring to what he described as the party's history of violence and inaction on Punjab's drug crisis.
The Assembly subsequently passed the resolution suspending Khaira for the remainder of the session.
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Congress Demands CM Mann's Resignation Over Activist's Murder
The confrontation followed protests by Congress MLAs over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
The legislators demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, stormed the well of the House and raised slogans against the AAP government.
The dispute over Khaira's suspension and the subsequent denial of entry to Congress legislators added to tensions between the ruling party and the opposition on the final day of the Assembly session.
This content is published by ABP Live - India and has not been created or edited by Hello Headlines. View original
