Punjab: Budget session starting Friday likely to be stormy affair

Chandigarh, Mar 20 (PTI) The Punjab Assembly budget session commencing on Friday is likely to be a stormy affair with opposition parties trying to corner the ruling AAP on several issues including law and order, detention of farmer leaders, rising state debt and non-implementation of poll promises.

The session will begin with the Governor's address, followed by obituary references. The budget session will be held from March 21-28.

The discussion on the governor's address will take place on March 24. The state budget for 2025-26 will be presented on March 26 and discussion on budget estimates will take place on March 27.

Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli said several issues will be raised such as "deteriorating" law and order, rising debt and non-implementation of the AAP's poll promise of giving monthly Rs 1,000 to women.

He slammed the Bhagwant Mann government for allegedly "betraying" the farmers by detaining them when they were returning after a meeting with the central ministers in Chandigarh.

"You (AAP government) back-stabbed the farmers. You called them for the meeting and, thereafter, you detained them. What do you want to prove by doing so?" said the Adampur MLA.

"Earlier, they (AAP leaders) were saying that the roads were closed by the Haryana government. Then why CM Bhagwant Mann did not protest outside the residence of the Haryana chief minister for opening the roads," he said. "These issues will be raised in Vidhan Sabha." Punjab Police on Wednesday detained several farmer leaders including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal in Mohali while they were returning from a meeting with a central delegation.

Police also evicted farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites which were blocked for more than a year. Temporary structures, stages have also been dismantled by police by using JCB machines.

Kotli also questioned the ongoing anti-drug drive of the AAP government, alleging big fish in the drug trade have not been nabbed yet.

The action was being taken only by small drug peddlers, he said. "The government should hold a debate on the drug issue," he demanded.

The MLA further demanded a white paper on the spending on the health and education sectors.

Other opposition leaders also chided the state government over the law and order issue, alleging nobody feels safe in the state today. PTI CHS VSD TIR TIR

Source: PTI