Cheema reminds Cong of ‘historic wrongs’, says ‘your CM under your PM dug canal’

But before the House was adjourned, it witnessed noisy scenes as the Congress members gathered in the well and raised slogans against the Speaker and treasury benches, questioning the session’s legality and demanding discussions on SYL and sacrilege issues.

Interjecting, Cheema challenged the Congress members on the “historic wrongs” done by the party with Punjab’s interests.

The finance minister said that since the Speaker has given his ruling that the session is legal, Congress MLAs should sit down and participate in the proceedings.

“(Leader of Opposition Partap Singh) Bajwa sahib and (Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh) Raja Warring had said Speaker should decide if session is legal or illegal. He has said it is legal. Now participate in it. Else you should tell if you are standing with BJP,” Cheema said.

Earlier, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan had said, “If the session is being held it is a legal session. As Speaker, this Chair deems the session as legal”.

Repeatedly challenging Bajwa, Cheema said his point has been answered. “You do not want to discuss SYL because it was during the tenure of your Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that the SYL canal construction started. When the SYL canal came into being, the Congress was in power. The inaugural digging was done by your then CM Captain Amarinder Singh using a silver ‘tasla’ (small bucket for carrying mud). What will you say on this?” asked Cheema.

As the Congress members continued with their sloganeering in the well of the House, Cheema raised his voice. “You people destroyed Punjab. You sold the waters of Punjab. On the other side sit the Akalis who have made hotels. With what face will you people talk about SYL? Because of Congress, thousands of youth of Punjab lost their lives. Why are you running away from debate? SYL land was acquired during your time. What will you discuss,” he said.

Science, Technology and Water Resources Minister Meet Hayer joined Cheema in taking on the Congress. He advised Congress members not to waste their time “blindly following the senior leaders” and should instead ask the questions, which have been listed against their name.

Governance Reforms Minister Aman Arora spoke at length on the legality of session. “Confusion is being created. The Rule 16 (Vidhan Sabha rules) says subject to the provisions of Constitution the Vidhan Sabha may be adjounred on its own order,” he said.

Arora said the Speaker was supreme in adjourning the House and then call it again into session in public interest. He added that if the Speaker is satisfied then the public interest does so require that he can call a meeting of Vidhan Sabha before the day it has been adjourned to or anytime after it has been adjourned sine die.

“No law or Constitution can prove that Governor has any prerogative to say the session is illegal. In 2004, during the Vajpayee government at Centre, the Parliament was adjourned in December and reconvened in January. Ram Das Athavale, who was then in opposition and is now part of the NDA government, had challenged it in Supreme Court. A constitution bench gave the decision that it is legal and whenever the House wants, this can be done,” said Arora.
The Minister also gave the example of the time in 2017-18 when the same was done by Delhi government and someone went to court. “The high court ruled in favour of the Speaker. Everything here is being done in public interest. If they are to create a ruckus at the beckoning of the Governor then it is fine,” he said.

Interjecting in the discussion, Congress MLA Pargat Singh, who had returned to his seat, said it would be better if the government sat down amicably with the Governor and reached a decision. “Bhagwant Mann should go and have a cup of tea with the Governor and sort it out,” said Pargat.