Chandigarh, Mar 12 (PTI) The Punjab Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution to refer a breach of privilege matter against Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira to the Privilege Committee of the House for allegedly calling AAP members “bonded labourers.” The House also saw heated exchanges when rebel SAD MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi attacked the Congress.
Raising the matter during the Zero Hour of the ongoing Budget Session here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused Khaira of making an objectionable remark against AAP MLAs.
Presenting the resolution in the House, Cheema said that Khaira, in a social media post on March 10, called AAP legislators, ministers and the Speaker ‘bandhua mazdoor’ (bonded labourers), thus “insulting” the public representatives.
“Such language undermines the dignity of constitutionally elected representatives and belittles the mandate given by the people. The issue was further aggravated on March 11 when MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was given an opportunity on the floor of the House to clarify his statements and issue an apology, but he categorically refused to retract his words,” he said.
Such conduct amounts to the breach of privilege and the matter should be referred to the Privilege Committee for a detailed investigation, he said.
The resolution also strongly condemns the “highly objectionable” physical gestures made by MLA Khaira while exiting the House during an opposition walkout on March 11, said Cheema. The gestures completely lacked parliamentary decorum and these actions were also witnessed by Khaira’s fellow Congress MLAs, he said.
“One would see these gestures during street fights. I never saw such gestures in my life,” said Cheema.
Some people use such vocabulary and theatrics to gain social media traction and potentially monetise their viewership, he further said.
The Speaker also stressed that the decorum of the House must be maintained.
Rebel SAD MLA Sukhi, who came out in support of the resolution, slammed Khaira for his remarks against the legislators. He not only insulted public representatives but also the Constitution, said Sukhi.
When Sukhi made some comments against the Congress, the party’s MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa rose from their seats and raised an objection, demanding the word be expunged.
Heated exchanges took place between Sukhi and Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli.
When the Speaker put the resolution to vote, LoP Bajwa asked him about the condemnation resolution, which his party brought on Wednesday against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for his alleged remarks on women on International Women’s Day.
The Speaker said the resolution was not allowed, following which the Congress MLAs protested against it.
AAP MLA Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina also brought a resolution against Khaira for allegedly insulting public representatives, seeking it be passed and the matter be referred to the Privilege Committee. PTI CHS MNK MNK
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