Treasury benches target oppn members

CHANDIGARH:ON the second day of the budget session in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, ruling Congress party MLAS targeted the Opposition – Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — during the debate on governor’s address.

The Congress raked up the issue of Akali Dal leaders’ alleged links with some people who were suspects in a drug trafficking racket.

Speaking on the occasion, Patti MLA Harminder Singh Gill lashed out at SAD leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, citing his alleged proximity to a man from whose house a haul of heroin was seized recently. “Recently, two quintal heroin was seized from one Anwar Masih who was appointed a member of the subordinate staff selection board during the previous SAD-BJP government,” said Gill. He also cited how the Congress after coming to power opened 193 clinics in which 27,000 drug addicts were taking treatment.

He also lauded the CM for the promptness he showed in removing statues of dancers from the Heritage Street in Amritsar following protests.

“The entire Panth has slipped out of the Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal’s hands as those running it don’t know ethos and traditions of the party,” said Gill, highlighting the exit of Dhindsas and Brahmpura.

He said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal whom Punjab AAP leaders admire doesn’t care about the leaders from the state.

“AAP has only two Sikh MLAS in Delhi and none is in the cabinet. The cabinet of the Congress government in Punjab is inclusive of faiths,” he added.

Congress’ Gill MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid also took a dig at the AAP MLAS as they were raising slogans against the government. “It was Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh who got the ‘ideal CM’ award and not Kejriwal. You should go through governor’s address to know the achievements of Punjab government.”

Akali Dal MLAS Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Harinder Singh Chandumajra and Manpreet Singh Ayali chose not to speak in the debate when their names were called by the speaker as they were busy sloganeering.

Ruling party’s MLA from Chabbewal Raj Kumar also targeted SAD, saying Dhindsas have joined Taksalis, leaving behind ‘khali (hollow)’ Akali Dal.

The entire Panth has slipped out of the Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal’s hands as those running it don’t know ethos and traditions of the party. HARMINDER SINGH GILL, Patti MLA