Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker commits to take stern action against Congress MLA's

CHANDIGARH: The speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Nirmal Singh Kahlon on Friday committed to take stern desciplinary action against Congress legislatures who lowered the prestige of chair by using derogratory language against the speaker on Thursday.



"I will take stern action against the guilty legislatures to maintain the digniy of the chair so that such things do not happen in future", Kahlon told the house immediately after statement by the leader of the house Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that Congress party's demand for removal of Speaker was legally and constitutionally untenable.

The Congress party had yesterday demanded that Kahlon leave the Chair after reports appeared in the section of media that he (Kahlon) has been indicted in a job for cash scam. The Congress had walked out of house yesterday and boycotted the proceedings of the house today.

The leader of opposition and Congress Legislative Party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal told media that they had boycotted the assembly session because Speaker in under obligation of Goverment and cant be fair to the opposition. She said that CBI had demanded sanction from state government for prosecution of Kahlon but plea is pending for the last nine months. She said that opposition was not given time to raise the public issues and Zero hour was skipped.

She also informed that Secretary Vidhan Sabha has rejected a notice served by Congress MLA Ajit Inder Singh on Thursday for removal of speaker under rule 11 of Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in Punjab Vidhan Sabha. The notice stated that Kahlon has failed to maintain decorum and dignity of House while conducting proceedings of house on December 8, 2009. (Akali Dal MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha had slapped and removed the turban of Congress MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon on that day).

Bhattal also said that adjournment motion moved by her and other Congress MLA's on law and order situation in the state was also rejected by the speaker being partial to their party. She said that law and order situation in the state was deteriorating.

Inside the house Speaker said that Congress had insulted the chair of Speaker and this cant be tolerated. He said that he himself heard the comments passed on the chair by members of opposition.

Beside Badal, Indusrty minister and leader of BJP legislature party Manoranjan Kalia also condemned the behaviour of Congress MLA's and said that it was black day in the democratic history of India that such objectionable words were used against the chair of speaker.