Complete pandemonium prevailed in Punjab Vidhan Sabha on the second day of the budget session as a fiery war of words ensued between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa over “corruption” and the functioning of Vigilance Bureau.
Raising objections over the conduct of the Chief Minister in the House and for “threatening” the opposition leaders, Bajwa sought an apology from him. However, Mann made it clear that anyone who has looted people’s money will not be spared irrespective of their party or position. “Chahe BJP mein chale jao, chahe kahin chale jao, iska matlab yeh nahi ki bach jaoge…Agar Punjab ka paisa khaya hai to andar honge (Whether go to BJP or anywhere else...this does not mean that you will be saved. If anyone who has looted Punjab’s money would be put behind bars),” said a ‘charged’ Mann.
The situation took an ugly turn when the senior Congress leader Bajwa, while speaking during a debate on the Governor’s address, referred to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha’s statement where he had slammed the BJP led Central Government accusing it of misusing central investigating agencies like the CBI and ED against its political rivals.
“I was reading Raghav Chadha’s statement who said that the CBI, ED, and NIA were conducting raids against opposition leaders every day. He suggested that the BJP flag should be put up at their offices…I want to say to you (Mann), let us move forward. Tomorrow, do not force us to say that ‘put AAP’s flag at the office of Punjab vigilance bureau,” quipped Bajwa — an assertion that drew strong reaction from the Chief Minister.
Objecting to Bajwa’s remarks, Mann said: “You cannot make such a statement that AAP flag should be put up at the vigilance office…Whosoever has done wrong, looted public money, will not be spared.”
“Jehde aithe baithe si…front row aale, dedh (i.5) saal pehlan…kithe ne? Sunil Jakhar, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Balbir Sidhu, Manpreet Badal, Fatehjang Bajwa…kithe aa? (those who were sitting here in the front row, about one and a half year back, where are they? Sunil Jakhar, Gurpreet Kangar, Balbir Sidhu, Manpreet Badal, Fatehjung Bajwa…where are they?” asked Mann, while declaring that notwithstanding that a number of ministers in the previous Congress Government have joined the BJP, vigilance action against them will continue.
To this, Bajwa said: “Then be prepared for (Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish) Sisodia-like action against the people of your party.” He asked the Chief Minister why he did not take action against AAP’s former Minister Fauja Singh Sarari and the reason for the delay in arresting Bathinda Rural MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta. “Investigation takes time,” insisted Mann, speaking at the top of his voice.
As the arguments continued, Bajwa told Mann that he was just “playing to the gallery”.
When Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira came in Bajwa’s support and made some remarks against the Chief Minister, the members of treasury benches objected to it, and came towards the well of the House. A brief argument also took place between Khaira and Mann before the House was adjourned for lunch.
Notably, Sarari, the state’s former Food Processing and Horticulture Minister, had resigned in January, months after his alleged audio clip surfaced in which he allegedly discussed ways to “trap” some contractors in order to “extort” money. On other hand, AAP MLA from Bathinda rural Kotfatta was arrested in a bribery case by the Vigilance Bureau last month, days after his aide was nabbed by the VB sleuths in the same case.
Earlier, Bajwa asked Mann about the claim of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in the run up to state assembly polls that Rs 20,000 crore will be generated from the sand mining sector. “How much money has been generated so far?” Bajwa asked Mann. “Don’t worry, I will speak about that in my budget speech,” retorted Mann.
Bajwa also added that the Chief Minister had committed a mistake by seeking help from the Centre for ensuring law and order in the State. “By doing so, you have handed over Punjab’s security to central paramilitary forces. The State Government will have to pay for their stay and it will be difficult to send them back,” he added.
Bajwa also asked Mann for clarity on reports of panchayat land being encroached upon by the promoter of Lovely Professional University, Ashok Mittal, who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by AAP.
Citing debt burden on Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), Bajwa asked the Chief Minister about arrangements to take out the power utility out of bad fiscal health. He also raised serious concern over holding the G20 event in Amritsar from March 15 to 20 given the security scenario in view of the recent Ajnala clash, involving radical Sikh leaders.
No One Involved in Looting Public Money, Will Be Spared: Mann
Chief Minister Mann, tearing into the opposition’s attack, declared that no person involved in looting public money will be spared by the State Government. Slamming Bajwa for “shielding the corrupt by criticizing action of Vigilance Bureau” against tainted leaders on the floor of the House, Mann said that the AAP Government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against corruption and exemplary action will be ensured against the leaders involved in sins against the state.
“No one can stop me from acting against these culprits who have mercilessly robbed and ruined the state. It is a sorry state of affairs that the Congress leaders are trying to patronize those people who have looted the state’s wealth by misusing the power given to them by the people,” he said.
The Chief Minister unequivocally said that the corrupt leaders whether they are from ruling side or opposition won’t be spared at any cost. He assailed the Congress for being neck deep in corruption, adding that the Congress leaders misused their positions to rob the public wealth. Mann assured the House that nothing can deter him from taking stringent action against the corrupt leaders.
Training his guns against the Congress leaders, the Chief Minister minced no words to say that most of the Congress leaders, sitting on opposition benches, are tainted. He told Bajwa that though these leaders are sitting amongst him on these seats, they too will also have to pay for their sins very soon as action against them was inevitable. “The names of several Congress leaders figure in every crime against the State…The Government will make them accountable for their sinister moves,” he added.
Mann went on to add that the Congress has always protected its “corrupt” leaders. He reminded Bajwa that a former Chief Minister of his party had submitted a list of corrupt Ministers and MLAs during his tenure to the Congress high command. “Instead of acting against these corrupt leaders, his high command squatted over the list to avert embarrassment for the party, which had exposed the real face of the Congress,” he quipped.
Bajwa Seeks CM’s Apology for “Threatening” Opposition
Alleging that the members of the Congress party were threatened and defamed on the floor of the House, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Partap Singh Bajwa sought an apology from the Chief Minister. As the House resumed after a break for discussion on the Governor's address to the Assembly, Bajwa said: “We wanted to cooperate but the way the Chief Minister addressed the members of the Opposition, it was not in good taste. The Chief Minister should apologize for whatever he has said against the members.”
Urging Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to intervene, Bajwa expressed displeasure over the Chief Minister’s conduct in the House. “The Chief Minister has to be large-hearted and take all members of the House together,” said Bajwa, at the time when Mann was not present in the House.
Even as the Speaker tried to pacify Bajwa, he stood his ground demanding an apology from the Chief Minister. “When I was addressing the House, it was functioning in order but the Chief Minister became furious and threatened opposition leaders, saying they will be thrown in jail,” he added.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira added that the Chief Minister had already made up his mind for vendetta against opposition MLAs by saying, “Tussi sarey chor ho (You all are thieves)” by pointing at Congress MLAs.
Irate Congress MLAs refused to allow the proceedings to resume while demanding an apology from the Chief Minister over his “threat”, and trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans. Even as the Speaker assured to verify the recording of the Chief Minister’s statement, they continued to protest. The Speaker adjourned the House till 3 pm but the Congress legislators stayed away from the House proceedings.
