Cong rattled by cockroaches in Delhi’s Punjab Bhawan

Bringing home her point,she said: “Like everything else in the Badal government,the taps at the Bhawan,too,are not right. Hot water flows from cold water pipes and cold water from hot ones. The blankets are stinking,the sofas and chairs dusty and towels dirty. As if the uninhabitable conditions are not enough,even after the so-called renovation,MLAs invariably fail to get rooms whereas some rooms remain locked for officers. According to protocol,even the state chief secretary is not above an MLA. I demand a inquiry into its upkeep and renovation by the estimates committee of the state Assembly.”

When her talk invited loud guffaws from the treasury benches,Bhattal told them it was not a joke and the matter should be taken seriously. Here,Youth Akali Dal patron and brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal Bikram Singh Majithia raised a point of order. “Bhattal’s speech betrays that the Opposition is bereft of issues. She is talking about inconvenience to her MLAs,which shows we have performed remarkably well and she has nothing to contest in the Governor’s Address,” he said.

Bhattal sat down,saying: “Let’s hear what this youth has to say. You were wazir (minister) earlier,now MLA. Next year you will not even sit here. MLAs like you who do not stay at Punjab Bhawan have no right to speak. First stay in a room in Block B’s sixth floor for a week and then we will talk.”

She did not give up without a cryptic reference to Majithia’s statements against Captain Amarinder Singh at a recent rally. “I thought he got up to announce that I too will be beheaded.” As if it was not melodramatic enough,Majithia said: “I respect each member of the state Assembly and was misquoted. I will behead myself before beheading you.”