CHANDIGARH: The Governor Mr Surendra Nath inaugurated Punjab Vidhan Sabhass budget session on March 18 with bedlam triggered off by a fierce clash between two ministers and a section of the opposition hardly having any precedent in the 40 year history of the House.

As soon as the Governor began his address Me Vijay Kumar Sathi the sole Janata Dal member and Mrinderjit Singh Ziraof he Akali Dal (Kabul) interrupted him by reading out parallel statements which could not be heard in the ensuing din. A furious Minster State for Transport Mister Jagir Singh leaped across the floor of the House and pounced upon Mr Sathi pushing him out of his seat with blows.

As Mr Zira and some other opposition members came to the rescue of Mr Sathi virtually Mooring Mister Jagir Singh down in the aisle Minister of State for Public Health Mr Maninderjit Singh Bita who is also the state Youth Congress (I) chief joined the fray which had developed into a scuffle There was a chorus from the treasury benches of “sit down sit down” Some other Congress (I) member also rushed to the trouble spot trying to disengage the warring members and rolling up their sleeves to defend the two ministers.

The Governor continued to read his address ignoring the up roar as the Speaker Mr Harcharan.

Singh Ajnala and the Chief Minister Mr Beant Singh looked on helplessly. The entire opposition meanwhile was up protesting against the conduct of the benches. Some opposition members tore copies of the address. The Minister of State for Revenue Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang was seen pacifying the BJP members who were speaking at the top of their voices. Some opposition members including Mrs Vimla Dang leader of the CPI group and Mrs Lakshami Kanta Chawla of the BIP rushed towards the chief minister who made an abortive attempt to intervene all opposition members later walked out of the House vehemently protesting against the incident.

The Akali Dal (Kabul) member Mr Ranjit Singh Chajjalwadi who was caught in the fray alleged in the legislators” lounge that he had lost his wrist watch He said that turbans of some clashing members including that of Mister Jagir Singh were shaken up in the fray.

As the House adjourned after the governor finished his address the chief minister’s chamber witnessed hectic activity to sort out matters with the opposition. Mr Beant Singh and several minister criticized the conduct of their two colleagues. The chief minister was worked up so much that at one point he told newsmen of his intention to take some action against Mister Jagir Singh and Mr Bitta. Helater had a meeting with leader of the opposition groups and it was decided that the two ministers should apologize for their conduct which they did when the House assembled for its second sitting Tuesday afternoon.

They got up one by one saying they were “soy”. There was no response from the opposition was interpreted to mean that it had some reservations about the settlement.

Interestingly Mister Jagir Singh was heard saying in the chief minister’s chamber that he had not acted on his own in the House. Someone had asked to “force” Mr Sathi to sit down. The chief minister said the two ministers had no right to cross the floor. Some other ministers supported his view.

“The chief minister told newsmen that” “some action” would be taken. Asked if he would drop the two ministers. Mr Beant Singh said he was not contemplating any “drastic” step. He however said the conduct of the minister would be voted on in the coming days.

He admitted in reply to a question that Mr Umrao Singh minister for parliamentary affairs had said that the opposition members interrupting the governor’s address should be asked to sit down but the manner they did. He also said that theirs were new faces in the House and they had yet to learn parliamentary practices.

“The conduct of the ministers was also discussed at an emergency meeting of the Congress (I) legislature party where they were warned against any repetition of what they did in the House.

“The BSP group the largest in the House was absent when the House re-assembled at 2.30 pm. for obituary references.

The speaker Mr Ajnala said at the start of the second sitting that such incidents would not be allowed in the House in the future. Expressing his anguish at what happened Mr Ajnala said he had vowed to maintain the traditions of the House and was sorry that these were violated. “I am not expressing my sorrow as a formality but as something from my heart he added.

The chief minister said the incident was unprecedented in parliamentary conventions. It was something which could cast aspersion on the House itself. He thanked the opposition for its cooperation in sorting out the matter and said as the two ministers had apologized the incident should be forgotten.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 3, 1992