Punjab: Bedlam in House over Bajwa’s remarks against Seechewal
Cong MLAs stage 3 walkouts after treasury members demand apology from LOP; assembly passes motion censuring Bajwa
Chandigarh : Acrimonious scenes were witnessed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, resulting in three walkouts by the Congress MLAs, after treasury members demanded an apology from leader of Opposition (LOP) and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa over his remarks against environmentalist and Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal.
The heated exchanges between AAP members and the opposition Congress over the issue continued for nearly two hours with both sides trading charges, and the speaker had to adjourn the proceedings for 15 minutes at one stage. Subsequently, the House passed a motion censuring Bajwa for the remarks he made against the environmentalist a day earlier. The resolution was supported by members of the SAD, BJP and suspended Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar.
Seechewal not an engineer: Bajwa
Bajwa, while talking to journalists outside the House on Wednesday, had attacked the state government for using Seechewal’s technique for cleaning ponds in the state, denouncing it as a “failed model.” He said that Seechewal was not an engineer, advising the government to consult experts from Thapar Institute, Patiala, and Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, instead.
In the House earlier, Bajwa had objected to the Seechewal model and made certain remarks which were later expunged by the speaker. Seechewal is known for his efforts to clean the Kali Bein rivulet in Sultanpur Lodhi.
Bharat Ratna sought for Bhagat Singh
As soon as the question hour got over on Thursday, the penultimate day of the budget session, Bajwa stood up to bring a resolution in the state assembly during zero hour for recommending Bharat Ratna for legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Before he could move the resolution, AAP member Inderjit Kaur Mann objected to his presence in the House. Criticising Bajwa for his remarks against the environmentalist, she demanded an apology from him and a motion censuring him.
While speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said no member can question another member’s presence, Bajwa said he stood by his remarks. “She cannot intimidate me. I am not going to apologise because you want it,” he said, telling the House that he was on his feet to bring the important resolution on Bhagat Singh. When Mann and some other AAP members persisted with their attacks, the LOP asked if this was being done in a planned manner to suppress his voice. He also expressed dissatisfaction over not being allowed the opportunity to bring the resolution.
A heated argument ensued between the treasury members and Congress MLAs who also stood up in support of their leader. Education minister Harjot Bains condemned Bajwa’s remarks against the environmentalist and called for a censure motion. “As a Punjabi, I am hurt,” he said, asking the Congress members whether they endorsed the LOP’s statement.
In response to Bajwa’s insistence that he be allowed to bring the resolution, Sandhwan explained that a 15-day notice was mandatory for bringing a resolution which also had to be submitted in advance.
With more treasury members demand Bajwa’s apology, Congress MLAs, led by Bajwa, entered the well of the House, raising slogans against the state government before staging a walkout.
Cong walkout unfortunate: Arora
Cabinet minister Aman Arora called Bajwa’s remark as “ridiculous”, stating that this (Seechewal’s) was a publicly accepted model. “This is an overreaction because Seechewal is now an AAP’s MP,” he said, terming the Congress walkout unfortunate. The speaker also said that he did not like what was said against Seechewal, adding that Bajwa should have been in the House to clarify. “Had it been within my power, I would have called him by sending marshals,” he said.
After the Congress members returned, finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema lashed out at Bajwa’s remarks and demanded an apology from the principal opposition party members. He also made a comment that further incensed the Congress MLAs, prompting them to stage another walkout. Bajwa was not present in the House at that time. The speaker expunged the minister’s comment. Cheema accused the Congress members of running because they had nothing to say against his budgetary proposals.
House adjourned for 15 minutes
The House proceedings were adjourned for 15 minutes, and upon reconvening, various members started taking up issues related to their constituencies during the zero hour. However, the heated debate resumed after cabinet minister Barinder Goyal again targeted Bajwa for his “unnecessary comments” against the environmentalist. “They (Congress) must remember that it was their own government which, on December 29, 2018, issued a notification appointing Seechewal as a member of the Punjab State Pollution Control Board. Why they did not raise questions about Sant Seechewal’s capabilities at that time?” he asked, triggering a strong protest by Congress members.
“Do you want to dedicate this session to Seechewal?” questioned the leader of opposition. The speaker stated that he could not dictate members what to speak about. In response, Congress members stormed the well of the House, shouting slogans. Subsequently, Bains introduced a motion censuring Bajwa for his remarks, which was passed through a show of hands. Bajwa and other Congress members staged another walkout in protest.
