A shoe was hurled at Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday while protesting Congress MLAs, who wanted a no-confidence motion to be taken up, threw papers at the Assembly Speaker as the House saw uproarious scenes on the concluding day of monsoon session.
The shoe flung from the opposition benches fell just short of where Majithia was seated. Protesting Congress MLAs also threw documents including pages from some CAG reports at the Speaker, who had to be protected by House staff.
“Whatever happened today, it shows Congress’ desperation. The party is fast losing ground, and we might see such desperate steps from them in near future also,” said Majithia.
Congress lawmaker Tarlochan Singh Soondh threw his shoe at the minister during protests by his party in the house.
Mr. Soondh and other Congress members had crowded around the Speaker’s chair demanding a debate on their no-confidence motion against the state’s Akali Dal-BJP government.
A number of Punjab Congress MLAs had refused to vacate the Assembly, spending two nights in the House to press for a debate on the no-confidence motion moved by the party against the state government.
As the House reassembled on Wednesday to meet after a holiday on account of Eid on Tuesday, the opposition Congress members immediately raised their demand before the Zero Hour could be resumed.
Heated exchanges were witnessed between ruling Akali-BJP benches and the Congress members.
Both chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy, Sukhbir Singh Badal were present inside the House when the chaos unfolded.
Congress members raised slogans against the government inside the Assembly and created a ruckus demanding that time be allotted for discussion.
Some of them rushed to the well of the House, and as pandemonium continued, Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal adjourned the Question Hour for fifteen minutes.
When the House reassembled, the Congress members continued their protest in the well.
