Akali-BJP members rattle over unkept promises
‘NOT IMPRESSED’ Alliance legislators disrupt the governor’s address, stage walkout; AAP legislators too leave the House
CHANDIGARH: Members of the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) combine and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday walked out of the Punjab assembly’s special session that began with the address by governor VP Singh Badnore on the Congress government’s plans and promises.
As the governor started his address, the Shiromani Akali Dal MLAs immediately raised their voice, asking what good his past addresses had done for the people of Punjab. Carrying rattle toys to the House, the members said it symbolised the false promises made by the Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh to the people of the state.
Though the AAP MLAs listened quietly to the governor, they walked out of the House when the speech ended, saying the address failed to impress as the content was a rehash of his previous speeches. The SADBJP members too departed, raising ‘chaunda hai Punjab Captain ton jawaab (Punjab wants reply from the CM)’.
The two-day special session – the 10th of the 15th Vidhan Sabha – has been convened to ratify the Constitution (126th Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to extend the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for another 10 years. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 10, 2019, and by the Rajya Sabha on December 12, 2019.
In his 30-minute speech, the governor read out the achievements of the state government, mentioning events to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and 150th birth
› The Congress had promised to waive debt of farmers, give ₹10 lakh assistance to peasant families, a job for each family, sixth pay commission to employees and regularisation of jobs of contractual employees. All these promises remain unfulfilled. BIKRAM SINGH MAJITHIA, Shiromani Akali Dal leader
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and observing centenary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Badnore also said his government has waived ₹4,736-crore debt of 5.83-lakh farmers.
Leader of SAD legislature group Sharanjit Singh Dhillon said though this was the fourth governor address since the Congress government took over, none of the promises made to the people had been fulfilled to date.
Talking to the media after the session was adjourned for the day, Dhillon said farmer suicides were at an all-time high in Punjab because the government failed to implement the complete farm loan-waiver. He said the government also reneged on all the promises made to the youth, including ‘ghar ghar naukari’, unemployment allowance of ₹2,500 per month or mobile phones.
Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema of the AAP said Punjab government has failed on all fronts.