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High drama in Punjab assembly as Oppn demands alcohol test for CM
LoP Partap Singh Bajwa leads charge during special session; Congress demands medical check by PGI doctors
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha witnessed high-voltage drama on Friday as the opposition went on the offensive during the special session with leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanding an immediate alcohol test for chief minister Bhagwant Mann and all legislators.
Chaos erupted after Bajwa formally wrote to Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, alleging that the chief minister was present in the House in an inebriated state.
The confrontation began when Mann objected to Khaira using a mobile phone during the proceedings, leading to a sharp verbal exchange. The situation escalated rapidly as Bajwa supported Khaira’s allegations, describing the situation as a “black day for democracy” and urged the Speaker to lock the doors of the House to conduct breathalyzer tests on all members, starting with the chief minister.
The opposition demanded that a medical team from Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, be summoned to ensure a transparent and impartial process.
The Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP joined the attack, with BJP state president Sunil Jakhar remarking that a breathalyzer test would “unmask many faces.”
Amid constant heckling and an uproar from the treasury benches, the Congress and SAD MLAs eventually staged a walkout.
Outside the House, Bajwa reiterated his demand for a mandatory dope and alcohol test protocol, questioning the purpose of a legislative session where the head of the state is allegedly “sozzled.”
The ruling AAP has dismissed the charges as a desperate attempt to stall the special session convened for a confidence motion and a resolution on Labour Day.
