CONG VS CONG: MOHINDRA SNUBS NAGRA

CHANDIGARH: It was not the Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or the SAD-BJP that brought embarrassing moments for the ruling Congress during the budget debate on Wednesday. It came from Congress itself.

Congress MLA Kuljit Nagra started his speech by lauding the government for hiking pension to ₹750 and Shagun (now Ashirwad scheme) amount given on marriage of daughters to minorities and SC families from ₹15,000 to ₹21,000 while mocking the previous government for not honouring its promises even in 10 years.

“The Akalis only hiked the pension from ₹250 to ₹500 in the last five months of their tenure. Kende si saade jathedar mame baan ke ₹31,000 shagun dhiya nu dewange. Dhiya maava vi baan gaiya par mame nai aaye (they had promised to give ₹31,000 as gift to daughters on their marriage as uncles. The daughters have become mothers but no shagun came),” said Nagra.

He then mimicked former Akali minister Bikram Singh Majithia on giving 10 lakh jobs to youth. SAD president Sukhbir Badal got up and said “we promised 10 lakh, you have promised one job, per family.”

Nagra took another dig at Majithia. “Chitta (white) used to be considered good till it became infamous.”At this, Sukhbir reminded parliamentary affairs minister Brahm Mohindra that they had committed to participate in the debate due to his assurance.

Mohindra asked his party MLAs to restrict the debate to budget. He also walked up to Nagra’s bench and asked him to mind his speech.

Speaker Rana KP Singh too asked Nagra “to behave properly”.