‘AAP MLAs in cahoots with Cong to save position’
Cheema did not pay heed to my requests... He refused to demand a longer session to discuss the crucial issues concerning the state PARMINDER SINGH DHINDSA, former SAD minister
: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs of being in cahoots with the ruling Congress to save their position and thus compromising the role of opposition.
Former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema never asked for extending the sitting of the House and the speaker extended session by a day after persistent demand by the SAD on Tuesday.
Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of the ongoing session, Dhindsa along with former minister Bikram Singh Majithia said never before had any opposition party in Punjab remained silent on the government’s role like AAP did.
“The manner in which Cheema remained silent in the meeting of the business advisory committee when discussion was held on the length of the session and during the assembly session today shows that AAP is in collusion with the Congress,” they said.
Dhindsa said during a meeting of the business advisory committee he repeatedly requested Cheema to register his protest against the manner in which the ruling party was pushing for a short one-week budget session, but to no avail.
“Cheema did not pay heed to my requests and when voting was to take place on the committee’s recommendations. He refused to demand a longer session to discuss the crucial issues concerning the state,” he said.
Majithia said this was happening because Cheema did not want to lose the post of opposition leader. “The AAP legislators, who had resigned from the primary membership of the assembly, stood disqualified as per constitutional provisions. But the speaker has not taken a decision on this matter. How are they getting salary, house facility and security?” asked Majithia.
“Things have deteriorated to such a level that a case was registered 27 hours after the Ludhiana gangrape incident,” he said.