Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday virtually turned into a free-for-all arena, with agitated legislatures stopping just short of exchanging blows. Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who was usually seen calm and composed, lose his cool when SAD MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu made some “derogatory and abusive” comments against him.
Rowdy scenes were witnessed on the last day of the budget session when several Congress MLAs come in Manpreet’s support with some of them, including Kulbir Singh Zira, Barindermeet Singh Pahara, Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, almost attacking Tinu in the well of the House — forcing the Speaker Rana KP Singh to adjourn the proceedings for 15 minutes.
Even after the adjournment, the angry Congress legislators, Zira and Pahara, were seen pushing and manhandling Tinu. On the verge of exchanging blows, other SAD MLAs present in the House — Dr Sukhwinder Kumar, Harpal Singh Chandumajra, Baldev Singh Khaira, and BJP MLA Arun Narang — have to intervene to virtually save Tinu.
Later, the House passed a privilege motion with Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) support against Tinu for “crossing the floor”, “personal attack” on the Finance Minister, using “derogatory” language — referring the matter to the Vidhan Sabha’s privilege committee.
Going into the background, Tinu was seen making aggressive gestures against the Speaker seeking time for his fellow MLA Bikram Majithia to raise an issue in the Zero Hour, while the AAP MLAs were staging a protest in the well of the House.
When the Speaker snubbed him by saying that he should not lose his temper so often and he did not need to seek his directions to run the House, Tinu engaged in a verbal spat with the Speaker. He wanted to raise an issue related to SC scholarships, but the Speaker refused him and asked the AAP MLA Jai Kishan to move the calling attention notice.
Peeved, Tinu alone went to the well of the House carrying a handwritten placard, and shouting slogans against the Speaker and the government.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra described Tinu’s behaviour and “words against the Chair” “unacceptable” and “condemnable” urging the Speaker to take appropriate action, which the Speaker turned down saying, “let him do”.
AAP MLAs staged the walkout, and SAD’s senior legislators, including Majithia, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Lakhbir Singh Lodhianangal, and others, were also not present in the House at that time. While protesting all along in the well, Tinu reached near the bench of Manpreet Badal after crossing the floor and allegedly passed some some comments, prompting the Finance Minister lose his composure and reacted angrily.
As Manpreet was seen making angry gestures against Tinu, other Congress MLAs come in his support, approaching Tinu, leaving their benches. Pandemonium prevailed with the furious Congress MLAs engaged in a war of words with Tinu — forcing an adjournment. Three SAD MLAs present in the House intervened, while Pargat Singh pacified Zira and took him away.
As Tinu continued to shout slogans and show placards, Zira asked him to better leave the House.
As the House resumed, Cabinet Minister Charanjit Singh Channi described Tinu’s conduct “shameful” despite the Speaker giving sufficient time to the opposition to raise their issues during the Budget session. “Finance Minister had never said anything objectionable to anyone…Going to his table and saying such things which I cannot even repeat is condemnable,” he said.
As Chandumajra, the lone MLA present in the House, tried to defend Tinu, the Speaker pointed that any member has no right to go to any member’s table and say such things.
“The member indulged in gross violation. First, he was arguing with the Chair when he was not on his seat which is an insult to the House. Then he pointed finger towards the Chair, he then crossed the floor and made a personal attack using derogatory language against the Finance Minister,” said Mohindra.
“I have never seen the Finance Minister getting provoked this way. You can well understand that what would have been said which forced the FM to stand up from his seat and react,” said Mohindra, who moved the privilege motion.
Later, SAD legislative wing leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon claimed that Tinu was manhandled and abused, while urging the Speaker to resolve the matter by holding a meeting in his chamber.
“Four days ago, he used such bad words against the Chair which even I cannot tell…I did not tell anyone, neither I reacted,” said the Speaker while asking the Tinu, “You have to respect others to be respected”.
Tinu, later talking with the media, alleged that the Finance Minister used a cuss word against him. “I was just asking the Finance Minister why funds meant for the SC community, particularly the scholarship, are not being disbursed,” he said.
He said that the Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and MLA Kulbir Zira threatened him, while demanding privilege motion against Randhawa and Finance Minister Manpreet Badal.
