Chandigarh: The leader of opposition in Punjab assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Monday demanded release of a white paper detailing the govt jobs provided to the youth since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in Punjab in 2022.
Bajwa pointed out that the AAP-led Punjab govt frequently issued advertisements claiming that thousands of youth were given govt jobs. Even as the senior leader welcomed the appointments, he insisted that a comprehensive white should paper be tabled in the assembly. This document, he said, should include details such as the names of the employed youth, their parents’ names, their villages, and the departments they were hired into.
Additionally, Bajwa stressed that the white paper should specify the total number of employed individuals, along with a breakdown of how many were Punjabis and non-Punjabis.
The Congress leader questioned the accuracy of the figures displayed on boards and advertisements, stating that the numbers keep changing daily. While he acknowledged that job creation was a positive step, he emphasised the need for transparency regarding who was hired.
Congress stages walkout
Chaotic scenes unfolded in the assembly after Congress members staged a walkout when Sukhpal Singh Khaira was not given an opportunity to speak during Zero Hour, despite repeated attempts and requests from the leader of opposition, urging speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to allow the leader to speak.
Khaira made several attempts to persuade the speaker to grant him time to speak, but his requests were ignored. Before leaving the House, Khaira accused the speaker of setting a wrong precedent. A heated exchange followed between Khaira and the speaker, with senior Congress leader Pargat Singh joining in and accusing the Sandhwan of misleading the House.
Khaira said he wanted to raise issues concerning Punjab and demanded an explanation for being denied the opportunity to speak. Even Bajwa, who urged the speaker to allow Khaira to speak, failed in persuading Sandhwan.
“Our new and your old colleague has been repeatedly seeking time. He has an important issue to raise, so please allow him to speak,” Bajwa requested. However, the speaker countered by asking whether any opposition member was ever denied a chance to speak.
Snubbing Khaira, the speaker remarked that this was not the correct way to seek time. Khaira, in response, questioned: “What is the right way then?” To this, Sandhwan replied: “I will tell you.”
Khaira continued to ask why he was not given time to speak, but the speaker asserted that no one could force the chair, as it was the speaker’s prerogative to decide who speaks and when.
Later, talking to the media outside Punjab assembly, Bajwa condemned the “dictatorial behaviour” and not allowing opposition MLAs sufficient time to raise public issues during the assembly session.
He also criticised the speaker’s treatment meted out to Khaira and Pargat Singh. “Sukhpal Singh Khaira was denied the opportunity to speak despite his repeated attempts and my request. This has been happening to him since last year,” said Bajwa. He emphasised that the Congress party stood firmly with both Khaira and Pargat Singh.
Catch big fish
BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma emphasised the need to catch the “big fish” in order to dismantle the drug supply chain and make the Punjab govt’s anti-drug campaign a success.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Sharma said the govt must undertake extensive groundwork to ensure the campaign’s effectiveness. He pointed out that since the launch of the campaign, the number of drug addicts seeking treatment had not increased.
The BJP legislator argued that as long as the supply chain remained intact, drug users would continue to access substances, indicating that the campaign had yet to disrupt the supply network effectively.
Sharma stressed that the drug menace was not a political issue but a collective concern affecting the future of Punjab’s youth. He said all members of the House supported the govt in this fight. However, he maintained that unless the authorities apprehend key players in the drug trade, the campaign would not achieve its goal.
To turn the campaign into a widespread social movement, Sharma urged the govt to involve NGOs, parents, and other community organisations. He highlighted that drug addiction was not limited to the underprivileged but was also affecting children from well-to-do families, making it a crisis that demanded urgent and united action.
Health minister Dr Balbir Singh lauded Sharma for extending support to the campaign and informed the House about the steps being taken by the govt for treatment and awareness.
To ensure that substance abuse patients receive proper treatment, Dr Balbir Singh shared that the govt had a stock of detoxification medicines for six months. To spread awareness and provide support, health committees have been formed in all villages across the state. Additionally, support groups of ‘Narcotics Anonymous’ have been established and attached to all outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics and de-addiction centres, he informed.
For skill development, those undergoing treatment are being linked with the employment generation department. “Those hooked on drugs will be reformed and provided jobs. This is the guarantee of the Punjab govt,” said the minister, urging all the MLAs to visit villages in their respective constituencies and support the committees.
Countering Sharma’s assertion that there was no increase in the number of drug addicts seeking treatment since the start of the campaign, minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar said there was a notable rise in the number of individuals undergoing treatment at drug de-addiction centres and the OOAT clinics.
Limit security personnel
Rana Inder Pratap Singh demanded that the govt set a limit on the number of security personnel assigned to politicians and officials. He pointed out that many politicians were accompanied by as many as 25 gunmen, while no police station in the state had such large staff strength.
Rana alleged that security personnel were often misused for personal errands, such as buying vegetables or dropping politicians’ children at school. He suggested that the govt should restrict security details to a maximum of four personnel per politician or official, with the rest reassigned to police stations to ensure public safety.
“When in power, leaders have 25 gunmen, but when they lose power, the count drops to just two, which becomes a cause of depression for them,” Rana remarked sarcastically.
Speaking on the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, Rana expressed concern over the rise in illegal arms and the increasing attacks on civilians. He stressed the need for a strict law mandating a minimum imprisonment of 10 years for crimes such as robbery, snatching, and assault. At present, he noted, offenders often secured bail after just a month in jail, which failed to act as a deterrent.
MSID:: 119422692 413 |
