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Akali, Cong MLAs bash up each
other inside Punjab Assembly
 CHANDIGARH:
Ugly scenes were witnessed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday
when Shiromani Akali Dal MLAs assaulted Congress legislators, who
were protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation in
the state, Ludhiana in particular, and demanding a detailed
discussion. SAD MLAs led by Virsa Singh Valtoha, Jagdeep Singh
Nakai, Sarabjit Singh Makkar and Inderbir Singh Bolaria charged
towards the protesting Congress legislators while hurling the
choicest of expletives -- later claiming they felt intimidated by
the Opposition's postures.
Even the
marshals were taken unawares and failed to stop them.
A scuffle broke
out and fists and blows begun to fly thick and fast between the
representatives of the two parties.
To the utter
embarrassment of the House, Valtoha pounced upon Congress MLAs Kewal
Singh Dhillon and Darshan Singh Brar and removed their turbans. The
marshals stood helpless, though some tried hard to separate the
MLAs.
Sensing trouble
and amidst chaos and confusion, Leader of the House and Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal got up and left the House.
Deputy Chief
Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was reading out a statement on the
Ludhiana violence, also rushed out. Soon, some party MLAs followed
the Badals.
Angry Congress
legislators started raising slogans against the SAD-BJP government
and how it was "encouraging unruly elements to browbeat people's
voice in the state Assembly".
Slogans like
"Badal sarkar murdabad" and "Attwadian di sarkar" reverberated in
the House.
Some Congress
MLAs even stood on the table where the Vidhan Sabha staff sit to
record proceedings and started shouting slogans against the
government.
Speaker Nirmal
Singh Kahlon, seeing the situation getting out of control, announced
adjournment for an hour.
The trouble
started when the Speaker immediately after Question Hour allowed
Sukhbir to make a statement on the Ludhiana violence.
As soon as he
began to read a three-page statement, the Congress legislators led
by Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal stood up and started
demanding a debate on the issue.
When the Speaker
remained unmoved, the legislators started moving towards the well of
the House and raised slogans against the SAD-BJP government. The
marshals formed a chain and stopped them from moving towards the
Speaker.
All this while
Sukhbir continued to read his statement. The Congress MLAs then
moved towards the seat of Chief Minister Badal.
Soon, SAD-BJP
legislators rose from their seats and came to the well of the House
to stop the Opposition members from reaching Badal's seat. Then, a
scuffle ensued.
Later, when the
session began after an hour's adjournment, the Congress legislators
against sat in the well of the House and demanded action against the
SAD MLAs.
They moved
towards the chair of the Speaker but were stopped by the marshals.
The Speaker adjourned the House till December 10 afternoon. Congress
MLAs led by Rajinder Kaur Bhattal came outside the Vidhan Sabha and
raised slogans against the highhandedness of the state government.
"The Speaker
disallowed our adjournment motion and denied us permission to speak
on the burning issues of Punjab during Zero Hour.
Instead, he
wanted Sukhbir Badal to make a statement.
Since the
violence occurred on the floor of the House, we want the Speaker to
get an FIR registered against Valtoha, Makkar, Nakai and Bularia for
manhandling our MLAs," said Bhattal.
She also
demanded that all the four SAD MLAs be expelled from the House and a
committee be formed to investigate the matter.
"We also want
Chief Minister Badal to apologise for the unruly behaviour of his
MLAs and for unleashing violence."
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Valtoha says he doesn't
repent
CHANDIGARH:
Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Valtoha Virsa Singh Valtoha has
said he did not repent indulging in violence against the
Congress legislators and later removing their turbans. "Whatever
I did, I tried to defend my party leader and SAD president
Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was making a statement on the floor of
the House. I heard that CLP leader (Rajinder Kaur Bhattal) was
coaxing the Congress legislators to protest against Sukhbir.
Since I feared that they might physically harm him, I decided to
take the plunge," Valtoha claimed.
Valtoha, when
asked about the provocation to assault as marshals ensure
protection of MLAs, said it just happened at the spur of the
moment. "They removed my turban also," Valtoha said.
He also denied
when told that the mediapersons heard him using expletives. "We
have come to know that Congress legislators had a pre-planned
strategy to create a ruckus in the House. I have complained to
the Speaker against Bhattal," he said. Nakai showed a
handkerchief with blood spots, saying he too was hit on nose.
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9
December 2009
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