Congress MLA hurls shoe at treasury benches over ‘Dalit’ barb

The two-night sit-in by Congress MLAs in the floor of the Punjab assembly ended with one of its MLAs, Tarlochan Singh Soondh, hurling a shoe at the treasury benches.

The two-night sit-in by Congress MLAs in the floor of the Punjab assembly ended with one of its MLAs, Tarlochan Singh Soondh, hurling a shoe at the treasury benches.

Cabinet minister Madan Mohan Mittal showing the shoe that was hurled inside the Punjab assembly. (Keshav Singh/HT Photo)

The shoe narrowly missed Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia on the left side, who then bent over to pick it up and show it to the House.

Punjab assembly LIVE: Shoe hurled at Punjab minister Bikram Majithia

Subsequently, the House plunged into utter chaos as both sides trained their guns at each other.

Sunil Jakhar, Chanranjit Singh Channi (in red turban) and Tarlochan Singh Soondh.

Later, speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal adjourned the House sine die. It was the last day of the last session of this assembly before polls next year.

Soondh, while speaking to the media at the press gallery, admitted to throwing the shoe, saying it was aimed at SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha.

A teary-eyed Soondh told the media that Valtoha had said, taking his name, “Ae saale ne chure, chamara da theka laya ae (has he taken responsibility of all chooras and chamars in Punjab). I could not tolerate this insult to my community and hurled a shoe at him,” Soondh said.

Soondh was made the “Speaker” of the mock assembly by the Congress, which was held in the lobby of the assembly.

Leader of opposition Charanjit Singh Channi, at a press briefing, said “100 shoes will be hurled if anyone insults Dalits”.