Chandigarh: High drama marked the second day of winter session of Punjab Assembly on Tuesday as ruling SAD-BJP and opposition Congress members scuffled when Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was making a statement over the law and order situation, including Ludhiana violence.
This prompted Speaker Nirmal Singh to adjourn the House for an hour.
As soon as Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio, started making statement in the House over law and order situation, in particular to the Saturday's violence at Ludhiana that claimed one life, the Congress members started protesting and raising slogans against the government.
The Congress members later tried to forcibly climb the stairs leading to Chair of the Speaker.
After being stopped by the Marshals, the Opposition members rushed towards the seat of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
As they approached Badal's seat, the Siromani Akali Dal members got up and then started scuffle between treasury bench members and Congress MLAs.
As the ruckus continued in the well of the House and the situation turned worse, the speaker adjourned the House.
Even after the House stood adjourned, the Congress members climbed atop the table of reporting staff of the Assembly and raised anti-government slogans.
Meanwhile, minutes before the Assembly was to re-assemble after adjournment, the Congress legislators sat on a dharna in the well of the House.
They were soon surrounded by the Assembly's watch and ward staff so as to prevent them from marching towards the speaker's chair.
The SAD-BJP members, on the other hand, took their seats before the House was to meet post adjournment.
- PTI
First Published: Tuesday, December 08, 2009, 12:58