Ready for Nov 1 debate, but first work out the nitty-gritty: Bajwa to CM

Bajwa said he and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring were ready and prepared to participate in the debate, but the chief minister should first work out its nitty-gritty

Chandigarh : Leader of Opposition (LOP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday asked chief minister Bhagwant Mann to call a meeting of all the parties to finalise the modalities of the open debate in Ludhiana on November 1.

Leader of Opposition (LOP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday asked chief minister Bhagwant Mann to call a meeting of all the parties to finalise the modalities of the open debate in Ludhiana on November 1.

Bajwa said he and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring were ready and prepared to participate in the debate, but the chief minister should first work out its nitty-gritty, including the subject of discussion, format, time slots, moderator, jury members, and passes for the audience, by holding discussion with leaders of all the parties in Chandigarh and taking them into confidence.

“There is a need for everyone to come together on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal as it is the most immediate challenge. The CM should call representatives of the BSP, CPIM, and BKU for this meeting. If he is serious, there is enough time to take everyone on board,” the Congress leader said at a press conference while stressing on level-playing field for all participants. He said if the government wanted to stage a drama, it could go ahead as planned. Bajwa was accompanied by the deputy leader of opposition Dr Raj Kumar Chhabewal and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

Accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of turning the Ludhiana city into a cantonment, Bajwa said a senior police officer informed him 1,000 policemen, eight SSPs, four DIGs and two DG-rank officers had been deployed there. “Why should there be so much security? I am a ‘Z category’ protectee. I am willing to leave my security guards outside during the debate. The CM should also minimise his security,” he said. He also questioned the government’s choice of moderator for the debate.

Earlier, Punjab Congress spokesperson Hardeep Singh Kingra said that for AAP, the debate is a mere public relations (PR) stunt, not a way of finding solutions. “Their primary aim is self-promotion rather than earnestly addressing significant issues of the state,” he said.

Raising questions over the choice of venue and how the debate was planned, Kingra said the state government should have considered established venues for political debates, such as the Parliament, Vidhan Sabha, and municipal corporation, known for their credibility and neutrality, for this debate.

The Congress spokesperson also expressed concern about the AAP’s control over every aspect of the debate, including the selection of the moderator, who had a long association with the chief minister, and the failure to involve all stakeholders in its planning. He called for equitable allocation of seats for political parties and the media as well as uncensored and unedited live broadcasts.

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Oppn parties making excuses: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday alleged that the opposition parties do not want to have a meaningful discussion on issues of Punjab. Responding to the conditions put forth by the opposition parties for the November 1 debate, AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the opposition parties are looking for an excuse not to participate in the debate. “Whether it is about the auditorium or the moderator of the debate, all these are only excuses,” he said in a statement.

Kang said both the Congress and SAD only played a part in escalating all the issues of Punjab, be it the SYL or Chandigarh. “At the same time, the BJP government has openly worked to weaken Punjab’s rights over Chandigarh,” he claimed, adding there are no plans to gather crowds and the people of Punjab will watch the debate live through social media and TV channels. “What could be a more transparent system than this?” he asked