AAP, Congress MLAs spar in Punjab Assembly

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Chandigarh, March 10

Punjab Assembly on Tuesday saw heated exchanges between the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress legislators, as Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa objected to Cabinet Minister Aman Arora’s intervention while Health Minister Balbir Singh was replying to a question.

Arora, along with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and other party MLAs, even rushed to the Well of the House in protest.

The verbal duel began when Bajwa objected to Arora’s intervention as the health minister was replying to his question on government medical colleges.

Bajwa’s question was pointed, targeting the Bhagwant Mann-led government for not setting up any of the 16 medical colleges promised in its first budget.

In his reply, Balbir Singh named two private medical colleges.

“Don’t hoodwink the people of Punjab,” Bajwa told the health minister.

In the meantime, Arora rose from his seat to speak on the matter.

The leader of the opposition strongly objected to this intervention.

“How can Aman Arora stand up? He is not the health minister,” Bajwa told Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan.

The Speaker replied that he can allow anyone to speak. Citing the Constitution of India, he pointed to the collective responsibility of the cabinet.

Despite this, Bajwa continued to say that the cabinet minister cannot intervene.

Arora said the Qadian MLA cannot dictate to him.

“I can speak,” he declared.

Both Bajwa and Arora continued to argue despite the Speaker urging them to sit down and let the Question Hour continue.

Arora, along with Cheema and some other AAP MLAs, then rushed to the Well of the House.

Cheema also accused Bajwa of saying objectionable words and demanded an apology.

PTI