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Punjab | Congress blasts Mann govt before storming out over not being allowed zero hour
Congress leader and leader of opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa said that gangsters were having a free run in Punjab, calling it a matter of serious concern for everyone. He also demanded a statement from chief minister Bhagwant Mann in the House on the escape of Tinu from police custody in Mansa and a drug smuggler from police custody when he was taken to Rajindra hospital in Patiala, besides snatching of a self-loading rifle from a police personnel in Gurdaspur.
A day after gangster Deepak Tinu, a suspect in the singer Sidhu Moose Wala murder case, escaped from police custody in Mansa, Congress leader and leader of opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday blasted the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the assembly for the “serious lapse”.
Bajwa said that gangsters were having a free run in Punjab, calling it a matter of serious concern for everyone. He also demanded a statement from chief minister Bhagwant Mann in the House on the escape of Tinu from police custody in Mansa and a drug smuggler from police custody when he was taken to Rajindra hospital in Patiala, besides snatching of a self-loading rifle from a police personnel in Gurdaspur.
Bajwa said that those who escaped were Grade ‘A’ criminals. “Being the chief minister who also holds the portfolios of home affairs and justice, Mann must explain such huge faux pas,” the leader of opposition said.
Information and public relations minister Aman Arora responded to the LoP’s attack over law and order in the state by asking the Congress to introspect before pointing finger at the state government.
He said strict action is being taken against culprits indulging in anti-social activities. “The state government has been trying to improve law-and-order situation, which had deteriorated during the previous governments,” he said, reminding the opposition about the mess created during the previous regimes in the state. “Wasn’t the law-and-order situation the worst during your government? We are cleaning that mess,” he said.
Arora said the state government had immediately issued lookout circular and ordered to launch a manhunt to nab Tinu, while the errant Mansa CIA staff incharge Pritpal Singh was dismissed and arrested promptly. “Unlike previous governments, prompt action is being ensured now,” he said. Bajwa did not seem satisfied with the minister’s remarks. “Is Arora the chief minister or the home minister?” he asked before storming out of the House with his Congress colleagues over their demand for allowing ‘zero hour’.
The furore over ‘zero hour’ began after speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan announced a discussion on the confidence motion. The Congress members, who had been urging the speaker from the start of the day’s proceedings to allow zero hour so that they can raise issues of “public interest”, insisted that it should be allowed before the confidence motion. The speaker, however, said that some members have their say and then make noise. Bajwa asked the speaker to fulfil his promise and not to go back on his words, assuring that the Congress members will take part in discussion on the motion of confidence brought by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The speaker then adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the members reassembled, Sandhwan allowed Bajwa to speak but started discussion on the trust motion as soon as the LoP finished speaking. The Congress members entered the well of the House, raising slogans, before staging a walkout.
Lookout notice issued for gangster on the run: Mann
CM Bhagwant Mann on Monday said a special operation has been launched to nab the gangster and one of the accused of murder of Sidhu Moosewala, Deepak Tinu, who had fled from the Mansa police custody on Monday morning.
Mann, during his speech to support the Confidence Motion moved by his government in Vidhan Sabha, said the state government has issued a look out notice against the gangster who had fled from Police custody on Sunday.
He said that the police officer, Pritpal Singh, has been sacked from the force and a case has been registered against him after which he had been sent on remand till October 7 by the court. Bhagwant Mann said that a special operation has been started to nab the gangster and he will be soon behind the bars.
The CM said that gangsters have not been born in the six months since his government assumed charge of office.
He said that as a fact of matter, these gangsters have been patronised by the Congress and Akali leaders during their government. Bhagwant Mann said that these leaders and parties used these youth for their vested interests by handing over guns to them.
The CM said that in Moosewala case, so far, the police have registered a case against 36 people out of which 28, including four sharp-shooters, have been arrested.
