In an embarrassment for the ruling party, Congress legislators on Tuesday slammed their own government over the treatment being meted out to them by officials.
The Congress MLAs protested against denial of rooms at Punjab Bhawan in New Delhi, questioning the preference given to bureaucracy, particularly the chief secretary and other senior bureaucrats, over lawmakers by their own government. They also demanded privilege motion and action against officials who show “disrespect” to the elected representatives. Members of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also supported their demand.
Speaker Rana KP Singh announced that he would summon the chief secretary (Karan Avtar Singh) and other officials dealing with the matter on Wednesday.
The ruling party MLAs have been raising the issue for a while and several of them even complaining to the speaker in writing. During the zero hour, Congress MLA Parminder Singh Pinki while speaking on the issue cited an instance where Shutrana MLA Nirmal Singh was denied a room in Punjab Bhawan and shown disrespect. “The MLA had gone for a meeting but had to return because he was denied room. This is not good,” he told the House. Another member claimed that the chief secretary had a permanent room for himself.
Recalling the incident, Nirmal Singh said he made 17 calls to an official who was dealing with room bookings, but he did not respond. “When he took my call, the official asked the meeting has been cancelled, why are you here?” the Shutrana MLA said, demanding a privilege motion and action against the official. Pinki, Harminder Singh Gill, Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, Barindermeet Singh Pahra, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Sunil Dutti and several other MLAs were up on their feet in his support.
Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and other AAP members also supported their demand for action against the officials. Parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra said the “maltreatment” of MLAs was a serious matter as the status of members was above the chief secretary.
{{/usCountry}}Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema and other AAP members also supported their demand for action against the officials. Parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra said the “maltreatment” of MLAs was a serious matter as the status of members was above the chief secretary.
{{/usCountry}}The speaker said there was a 2007 letter in which categories were fixed and the legislators were put at the end and principal secretary-rank officers were given preference in allotment of rooms. “This is not acceptable. I will summon the chief secretary and other officials on Wednesday and get this letter withdrawn,” he said even as some Congress MLAs said no permanent allotment of rooms should be allowed for anyone. Mohindra said he was a six-time MLA and had felt the same way during most of his tenure, expressing his support for the members.
Congress MLA Pahra, who had also complained to the speaker in this regard, later said dozens of MLAs had faced difficulty or were denied rooms at Punjab Bhawan. “I am going to Delhi tomorrow and made online reservation five days ago, but there is no confirmation till now. I am not sure if I will get the room or not. The official dealing with room reservation has not even responded to my message. At times, MLAs are even asked to make requests to officials for rooms,” he later told HT.
Earlier, Warring had also hit out at the government over the way the transport department was being run. The MLA said he met the minister with a request to transfer an official posted as the regional transport authority (RTA) at Faridkot, but she expressed her inability, saying that she did not have the power to transfer them. “Pata nahin ki fixing hai ina di, ki jugaad la rakhia hai ina logan ne,” he said.
To this, transport minister Razia Sultana replied said that there were 11 RTAs — five from the department and the remaining are Punjab Civil Service (PCS) officers. “The powers to transfer PCS officers are vested with the chief minister. In case there is any report of wrongdoing against any officer, I can recommend his shifting,” she added.
MAJITHIA, RANDHAWA SPAR OVER PATRONISING GANGSTER
Jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Akali MLA Bikram Singh Majithia had a heated exchange in the state assembly on Tuesday over “patronising” gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Randhawa and Majithia, who have had a series of sharp exchanges on this issue in recent months, sparred during the zero hour when the latter raked up the issue of deterioration in the law and order in the state.
Citing recent incidents of loot, ransom threats and other crimes, Majithia said the situation was so bad that land developers and businessmen were getting ransom calls and they were paying the gangsters instead of going to the police. When the Akali MLA accused the minister of patronising jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwapuria, he immediately sprang to his feet, telling the speaker that Majithia was “habitual” of dragging his name. “Our government has taken action whereas the previous government did not put gangsters in jail,” he said. Randhawa also said the weakness of his government and the state police was that Majithia had not been put in jail.
Majithia sought the speaker’s permission to reply but was not allowed. The Akali MLAs rushed to the well of the House, raising slogans, which were expunged by the speaker from the proceedings. They later staged a symbolic walkout.