Special Session Descends into Chaos
A day-long special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, convened specifically to oppose the central government's new job law replacing the MGNREGA, was marred by significant turmoil and dramatic exchanges. The session, aimed at passing a resolution against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, witnessed Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira being named by the Speaker and subsequently escorted out of the House by watch and ward staff.
Protest in the Well and a War of Words
The drama unfolded as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann began his address. Khaira rose from his seat and rushed to the Well of the House, demanding to be allowed to participate in the discussion. In response, CM Mann urged Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to bring the House to order. The Speaker reminded Khaira that he had already been the first person to speak during the session and stated it was not necessary for only one person to speak on every issue.
As Khaira continued his protest, Chief Minister Mann took a sharp dig at the Congress party, remarking, "His party does not give him time to speak." Speaker Sandhwan supported this by informing the House that the Congress had actually been given 29 minutes to speak, exceeding their allotted time of 16 minutes.
Despite warnings from the Speaker to return to his seat or face being named, Khaira persisted, and more Congress members joined him in the Well. Following the continued disruption, Speaker Sandhwan officially named Khaira and directed the parliamentary staff to remove him from the chamber.
"Power Hungry" Accusations and "Who Are You?" Retort
After Khaira's removal, CM Mann launched a fierce attack on the Congress MLA. He accused Khaira of being a "power hungry" politician desperate for public attention. "He indulges in cheap tantrums to hog media limelight, especially when his party is contemplating a change of leadership," Mann stated. He further alleged that Khaira was more concerned with personal publicity than the issues of Punjab and its people, which led him to violate the decorum of the House.
The Chief Minister then challenged the Congress MLAs supporting Khaira to either leave the House or sit down quietly. This prompted a sharp retort from the Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, who questioned Mann's authority by asking, "Who are you?"
Mann instantly shot back, "You are asking who I am? Didn't you get to know who I am in the 2022 Assembly polls?" This sparked a direct verbal duel between the CM and the LoP, even as the Speaker attempted to restore order and asked Congress legislators to return to their seats.
Earlier in the session, Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond had tabled the resolution against the VB-G RAM G Act for discussion, setting the stage for the contentious debate that followed.
