Clarification,condemnation

Saddest day of my life,says Chief Minister

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday said the Congress MLAs acted as a leaderless mob out on a rampage for arson,“breaking all norms of civilized conduct,charging the Speaker’s chair,breaking furniture and other items of public property and assaulting members of the Watch and Ward staff of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha”.

“I have been deeply pained by the conduct of the Congress legislators,” he said later in a statement,adding the day saw a first of “a Congress legislator actively conniving with unidentified and unauthorized persons in a serious breach of security and later throwing all norms of democratic behaviour to the winds.”

Action against Cong left to House: Speaker

In a separate press conference,Vidhan Sabha Speaker,Charanjit Singh Atwal,said the Congress legislators had acted in the most “condemnable manner”. He said action against the Congress legislators will be decided when the House meets on Thursday. “A resolution has been moved by an Akali MLA on the incident that happened in the morning. Whatever happened in the evening,will be added to that resolution and action will be taken,” he said.

Brawl complaint reaches UT IG

The Punjab Assembly ward staff on Wednesday sent a complaint to Chandigarh IG R P Upadhyaya naming 20 Congress MLAs for “beating up” ward officers in the Assembly. The IG confirmed recieving the complaint. “A case will be registered only after the evidence is verified,” he said.

Bajwa questions Atwal integrity

Reacting to the ruckus in the Punjab Assembly,Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa said,“If at all they felt that the Tarn Taran dalit victim and her father had come without passes,the Speaker could have asked the CLP leader about it. They cannot order a raid at the Congress office. How did Atwal,during his stint as the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha,allow BJP MPs to bring bags of currency notes to the floor. Now he is talking about unauthorised entry,” Bajwa said.

condemnation resolution

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Wednesday moved a resolution seeking condemnation of the security breach and breach of House privilege by Congressmen. He brought to the attention of the House that a similar incident that had taken place in the Indian Parliament at New Delhi. The resolution moved by Mittal was being seconded by cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia,when the House was adjourned. Subsequent action on the motion is expected on Thursday (today).

‘Breach’ of security: No passes for entourage of a few

Though the ruling benches,including Chief Minister Parkash Sngh Badal,Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal,Assembly speaker Charanjit Atwal and ministers all called the entry of the Taran Taran girl and her father as a serious breach of security,the entourages of these VIPs do not undergo any checks for entry passes. Similar is the case for the Leader of Opposition. And it is this precedent,that helped Sunil Jakhar walk in with the Tarn Taran girl and her father at 8.30 in the morning,without being asked to show their entry passes. “It is not the first time,people have come to the CLP office with me. If I have breached security,I am guilty of doing so all along,” he said.