Punjab Assembly to bring resolutions against Agnipath scheme, ban on Sidhu Moosewala song

Earlier, during the Zero Hour in the ongoing budget session, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised the issue of Agnipath, arguing that the scheme will negatively affect the youth of Punjab. Proposing that House bring a resolution against the scheme, a suggestion that was endorsed by Mann, Bajwa expressed apprehension that with the scheme, Punjab’s representation in the Army will plunge from 7.8 per cent currently to 2.3 percent in future.

“This scheme is against the interests of Punjab. Earlier also the Centre brought farm laws and the stakeholders were not consulted. We need to protect the rights of our youth,” Bajwa said, adding they should bring a resolution.

Mann, while seconding Bajwa’s proposal, said, “I am against this and I agree with you. A 17-year-old youth will join
the defence forces, and come back at the age of 21 when he would not even be married…he would not be able to wrote ex-serviceman with his name…will not get the CSD benefits…I strictly oppose this scheme”.

He said that all state assemblies in the country should bring a resolution against the scheme.

Hitting out at the Centre, Mann said he fails to understand why the BJP government brings such laws which face “opposition” from several quarters.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma defended the scheme and alleged that the House was being misled over this issue. Countering Bajwa on his suggestion, Sharma said it is their compulsion to oppose it for the sake of opposition.

“They know if this scheme is implemented, they will not come to power in 2029 as well,” said the BJP leader.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira sought condemnation of the banning of Moosewala’s ‘SYL’ song and demanded that it be made part of the resolution against Aginpath scheme. Mann seconded this saying “whenever a voice is suppressed, we will oppose it. We will bring resolution.”

Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer suggested that the House bring a resolution condemning centralisation of
Panjab University. The Speaker announced that all three resolutions would be taken up on June 30.

The House witnessed heated exchange of words between the Treasury and the Opposition benches after Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains accused the previous Congress regime of providing “VIP treatment” to gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari when he was lodged at Rupnagar jail for two years and three months after a “fake” FIR was lodged against him.

“He (Ansari) was given VIP treatment and his wife stayed with him. Five star facilities were given to him. It is a serious issue,” said Bains, adding the Uttar Pradesh government had to move the Supreme Court to get Ansari’s custody.

The minister’s remarks came when former jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was also present in the House.

He further said the previous government, to “save Ansari”, had engaged a Supreme Court lawyer who charged Rs 11 lakh per hearing.

“We have been handed over a bill of Rs 55 lakh. Why should we pay the bill of Rs 55 lakh for keeping a gangster? I have ordered for registration of an FIR in the case,” Bains said, adding the previous government did not engage good lawyers to argue the cases pertaining to government revenue.

Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa, however, objected to raising this issue during the budget discussion. Addressing Speaker Kultar Sandhwan, Bajwa said that no minister, other than the finance minister, can be allowed to speak during the discussion on the budget as per the rules of the House.

Bajwa asked Bains to prove that Ansari’s wife stayed in the jail. “Can you prove that his (Ansari) wife stayed in jail? If you cannot prove it, then you will have to resign,” he told Bains.

The Congress leader also asked the Speaker, “Should we deviate from the budget discussion? Then we should speak on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi…in which jail he was kept and the Tihar jail comes under whom?” he said, taking on the treasury benches.

Former minister Randhawa too dared Bains to prove that Ansari’s wife stayed with him in the jail.

Amid the commotion, AAP MLA Gurdit Sekhon got up from his seat and started walking towards Opposition benches, but was pulled back physically by party colleagues Sarvjit Kaur Manuke and Aman Arora.

Meanwhile, replying to a call attention moved by MLA Hardeep Singh Mundian, CM Mann said that no river pollution will be allowed in the proposed Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks near Mattewara forest at Koom Kalan in Ludhiana and all environmental clearances and norms as fixed by Centre and State Pollution Control Boards will be adhered to.

Mann’s assurance came even as Opposition asked him to reconsider the decision as it would affect the forest area in vicinity.

Mann said, the proposal for setting up of Textile Park at Koom Kalan under PM MITRA scheme has been sent to the Centre. He said the scheme will help in attracting investment and opening new vistas of employment for the youth. Mann said that one of the basic requirement for the project under PM Mitra is that the state government should have ready availability of contiguous and encumbrance free land parcel of 1000 acres. The CM said PUDA has already acquired 957.39 acres and the remaining land will be acquired shortly .

Speaker Sandhwan said he was transgressing as he could not participate in the discussion being the Speaker, but the issue was very close to his heart. He urged the CM to look into it. He then asked Congress MLA Pargat Singh to speak on the issue.

Pargat Singh said that the area was flood prone and the Speaker and other AAP member, Aman Arora, had earlier gone to Mattewara to protest against the textile park. He said Punjab needs industry but the environment is the main issue.

Leader of Opposition Bajwa said that the state would not forgive the leaders if the environment is made a casualty.

The issue of illegal sand mining too rocked the House with Mines and Geology Minister Harjot Bains alleging that gross irregularities during the previous governments. He said the pieces of land locked in PLPA were given away for mining and when the matter was brought to his notice he handed over an inquiry to Vigilance Bureau and also put under suspension 18 officers. He said during the last 20 years, the exchequer was robbed of sand worth Rs 40,000 crore and during the Congress regime alone, sand worth Rs 60,000 crore was mined but the money never went to the exchequer. He said 202 mines were identified in the state but only 43 were working, leading to a loss to the exchequer.

Former mines minister and Congress MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, however, dared Bains to first earn Rs 20,000 crore from mining as promised by AAP before elections and then raise fingers at others.

Bajwa objected to a minister speaking during the debate on budget. Speaker Sandhwan said that Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had raised questions at Bains and he was responding to them.

“Do not threaten us. We are not scared of you,” Bajwa told AAP legislators as they protested against his contention. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said that those who indulged in corruption would be dealt with strongly and this was not a threat.

Earlier, Warring had mocked at the government for blaming Congress for the fiscal mess. “They blamed us. Every new government blames the predecessor. I want to tell you, when in 2017, the state was handed to us, we had a debt of Rs 1.83 crore, food bill of Rs 31,000 crore, current liabilities of 13,000 crore. The state was in overdraft on 300 days during 2016-17. But the finance minister did not tell us yesterday that the state was not in overdraft for a single day during our regime. He also did not mention that the per capita income had also increased during our regime.”

Pargat Singh while picking holes in the budget said that the ruling members talk of Mohalla Clinics but do they realise that Punjab is not Delhi. “Punjab has an area of 52,000 square km. While Delhi is different. There thousands of families stay in an acre. How will 117 Mohalla Clinics suffice needs of people in Punjab? There are 13,000 villages,” he added.