Congress MLA's walk out twice during Punjab Budget Session as Khaira denied chance to speak

Congress legislators in Punjab staged two walkouts during the budget session of the Vidhan Sabha on Monday. They were upset that their party colleague, Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, was not allowed to speak in the House. The protest was led by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, who, along with other Congress MLAs, walked out twice in response to the Speaker’s decision.

First walkout during Zero Hour

The first walkout took place during zero hour, a time when legislators can raise important public issues. Khaira requested Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to allow him to speak, but the Speaker did not grant him the opportunity. Bajwa stood up in Khaira’s support and urged the Speaker to reconsider. However, Sandhwan maintained that it was his decision to decide who would speak. He added that all opposition leaders had been given speaking time, but the request had to be made properly.

Khaira later tried again, asking to speak on farmer-related issues, but the Speaker allowed Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar to speak instead. Upset by this, all Congress MLAs, except Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh and Shahkot MLA Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia, walked to the well of the House before staging the walkout. Rana Gurjeet and Laddi initially remained seated but later joined their colleagues in protest.

The second walkout happened when the House was discussing the governor’s address. Bajwa again requested the Speaker to allow Khaira to participate in the discussion. However, Sandhwan refused, stating that he would decide who would speak. When he called Independent MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh to speak next, Khaira walked into the well of the House in protest. Bajwa and other Congress MLAs also stood up in support, but the Speaker did not change his decision, leading to another walkout.

Speaking to reporters outside the House, Khaira expressed his frustration over not being allowed to speak on issues affecting farmers. He criticized the government’s handling of farmer protests, alleging that their equipment, including tractor trolleys, refrigerators, gas stoves, and cylinders, had been stolen. He also claimed that of the 132 tractor trolleys taken from farmers, only a few had been recovered.

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Demand for Government recruitment White Paper

During zero hour, Bajwa demanded a white paper on government recruitment. He insisted that the government present a document listing all individuals who had been recruited under the current administration. This document should include details such as their names, parents’ names, village, department, and whether they were Punjabis or non-Punjabis. Bajwa argued that while the government often advertised its recruitment figures, an official record was needed to verify how many candidates were hired from each district.

Independent MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh raised concerns about illegal weapons in Punjab. He proposed a strict law mandating a 10-year jail term for possession of illegal arms. He argued that the current legal system was weak, as people arrested with illegal weapons were often released on bail within a month. Strengthening the law, he said, would act as a deterrent and improve law and order.

He also suggested reducing the number of policemen assigned to security duties and reallocating them to police stations to enhance law enforcement.