Ludhiana's Bains brothers physically moved out of Punjab Assembly

Chandigarh: Ludhiana's Bains brothers, the two Independent MLAs who are part of the 'Awaaz-e-Punjab' front of Navjot Singh Sidhu, were on Friday "physically moved out" of the Punjab Assembly for disrupting proceedings.

Ahead of a discussion on the contribution of BR Ambedkar on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary during the ongoing monsoon session of the Assembly here, Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains requested Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal to bring a private resolution on the issue of water.

However, the Speaker refused to give the permission to the Bains and warned them not to disrupt proceedings of the House.

After repeated warnings, the Bains brothers continued to speak. They did not even let Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal speak about the contribution of Ambedkar following which the Speaker 'named' Simarjit Singh Bains and asked watch and ward staff to take him out of the assembly.

When the brothers refused to go out, the watch and ward staff took them out of the House.

Accusing SAD-BJP government of "throwing them out" of the House, Simarjit said he was just demanding that Punjab should recover the amount of the supply of canal water to Rajasthan which was being supplied since 1965.

"Punjab is supplying 11.2 MAF of water to Rajasthan since 1965 and being a riparian state, it should recover the cost of supply from Rajasthan," he told reporters.

Bains also cited a copy of the record of the decisions arrived at the inter-state conference on the development and utilization of the waters of Ravi and Beas rivers in a meeting held in New Delhi in January 1955.

"What was the problem in sending the bill for the supply of water to Rajasthan," Bains asked adding that he would continue to fight for the rights of Punjab.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Sunil Jakhar has described this demand as untenable, saying if it is accepted then Himachal Pradesh will seek cost of water from Punjab.