Chaos Marks Day Two of Punjab Assembly Special Session, Walkout Over Dam Security Proposal
Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): The second day of the Punjab Assembly's special session on Friday began in chaos, as Congress MLAs staged a walkout in protest against bypassing the Question Hour to present a resolution directly. The opposition slammed the move as undemocratic.
The session's key highlight was a resolution opposing the deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Bhakra and other dams in the state. The resolution was moved by Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, who claimed the decision for CISF deployment was taken under the previous Congress-led government, and that the current administration rejects it.
Leader of the Opposition, Pratap Singh Bajwa, accused the AAP-led government of double standards, saying: “The same government opposing CISF at Bhakra Dam has deployed CISF at the state secretariat. Is there a threat to ministers’ safety?”
In another significant announcement, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann revealed that the government will soon introduce a special legislation to prevent sacrilege incidents. He emphasized that the draft law will be shaped after taking suggestions from representatives of all religions, religious organizations, and the public. “This is a sensitive issue and will be handled with due legal consideration and no haste,” said CM Mann.
CM Mann also reaffirmed that the approval for CISF at dams was granted under the previous Congress regime, and the new resolution seeks to revoke that decision. In a softer touch, the Chief Minister announced a new welfare initiative — 1,500 women sarpanches and panches who have shown excellence in rural development will be sponsored for a pilgrimage to Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, a sacred site of Sikhism.
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