Cong MLAs lock horns over unity drive

Thursday, 24/09/2015

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CHANDIGARH: The wedge between loyalists of former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and those pledging allegiance to the Congress high command turned ugly on Wednesday when a few MLAs “abused” legislator Ashwani Sekhri and tore the resolution on which he was getting the signatures of party MLAs.

Punjab CLP leader Sunil Jakhar (centre) during a Congress walkout from the state assembly in Chandigarh on Wednesday.

The incident took place after Sekhri, who is also a secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), wrote a resolution which read, “All MLAs of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) are united under the leadership of the party high command to fight the SAD-BJP government.”

During the session, when CLP leader Sunil Jakhar was speaking on the agriculture crisis in the state, Sekhri moved the resolution from table to table and asked MLAs to sign on it. He claimed that about 28 MLAs had put down their signatures but a few, including Tarlochan Singh, Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana Gurjit Singh, refused to endorse it.

“When I came out of the House to use the toilet, party MLAs Ramanjit Singh Sikki, Rana Gurjit and Sangat Singh Gilzian shouted at me and accused me of leaking the resolution to the media. They then surrounded me and asked me to give the signed paper, saying that they wanted to delete their names. But Sikki and Gilzian took the paper and tore it and used abusive language in front of the watch and ward staff,” Sekhri said.

He told Hindustan Times: “I am a MLA since 1985 and a secretary of the AICC, is this the way to treat me inside the assembly? The speaker is the custodian of dignity of members of the House and I will meet him tomorrow (Thursday) and complain about this humiliation and seek action against the MLAs. As an MLA, I have the right to propose a resolution and no one signed it under duress. If they are trying to bully the party high command, it is not acceptable.” Though Sekhri again proposed the same resolution in the state CLP meeting held in the evening, it was not taken up.

Both Sikki and Gilzian could not be reached. A MLA close to Amarinder accused Sekhri of playing a “political stunt to make numbers before the high command.”

“There are many MLAs who are trying to project themselves as loyal to the party high command only for bagging top positions within the party. Sekhri is also an aspirant for the post of state chief or CLP leader,” the MLA said.

Incidentally, MLA Charanjit Bajwa, wife of Amarinder’s bete noire, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, too, did not sign the resolution as Sekhri and Bajwa do not see eye to eye.