Punjab CM leads Vidhan Sabha in paying tribute to Galwan Valley soldiers, unsung Covid warriors
Former MP Gurdas Singh Badal, former state minister Hari Singh Zira, hockey Olympian Balbir Singh Senior, Golden Temple hazoori ragi Bhai Nirmal Singh among 28 personalities remembered
Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday led the Vidhan Sabha in paying tribute to 28 eminent personalities, including freedom fighters, Galwan Valley soldiers, political personalities besides the unsung Covid warriors, who had passed away since the last session of the assembly.

On the inaugural sitting of the one-day monsoon session (12th session) of the 15th Vidhan Sabha, the House paid respects to former member of Parliament Gurdas Singh Badal, Harminder Kaur, the mother of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, former MLA Chatin Singh Samao, former state minister Hari Singh Zira and justice Satpal Bangar (retired).
The House paid tributes to legendary hockey Olympian Balbir Singh Senior and Golden Temple hazoori ragi Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa along with naib subedar Mandeep Singh, naib subedar Satnam Singh, naik Rajesh Kumar, naik Rajwinder Singh, naik Salim Khan, naik Gurcharan Singh, sepoy Gurbinder Singh, sepoy Lakhvir Singh and sepoy Gurtej Singh.
The House remembered freedom fighters Sucha Singh, Piara Singh, Takht Singh, Ajit Singh, Variam Singh, Santokh Singh and Dalip Singh. It paid tributes to artist Satish Gujral and engineer Jaswant Singh Gill.
The House also remembered religious leader Acharya Mahapragya and Surinder Dogra, the mother of MLA Arun Dogra.
The House paid homage to Covid victims. On the request of health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, frontline Covid warriors who had sacrificed their lives fighting the pandemic while going beyond the call of duty, were added in the list.
On the request of AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan, the name of litterateur Baldev Singh was added to the obituary list.
A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the departed souls as a mark of respect during the obituary references.
Meanwhile, Speaker Rana KP Singh proposed that homage be paid to all those members who had passed away since the previous session. After the obituary references, he passed a resolution for conveying the condolences of the House to their respective families.
The resolution was passed by voice vote.