Congress stages walkout in Punjab Assembly over SYL issue
Tuesday, 08/03/2016
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/congress-stages-walkout-in-punjab-assembly-over-syl-issue/206172.html
Chandigarh : The Budget session of the Punjab Assembly began on Tuesday with a walkout by Opposition Congress members over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. Led by Leader of Opposition Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress MLAs staged the walkout amidst sloganeering, even as Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki continued with his address.
The Governor highlighted governance reforms; more allocation to states from Central taxes; good investment climate in the state; power surplus status of Punjab and its strides in enhancing agriculture production. The Governor also listed the SAD-BJP government's achievements in the fields of agriculture, allied agriculture, infrastructure building like new airports, agri service centres and steps taken in promoting the Punjabi culture.
Lauding the Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra scheme, the Governor said this was the first such scheme launched by any state government in the country. Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki also talked about the government's response in dealing with and neutralising terrorists during the Pathankot and Dinanagar terror attacks. He said drug addiction was not prevalent in Punjab, and highlighted steps taken in that regard.
Addressing the House, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the Centre should bear the cost of all anti-terror and national security operations. He blamed the previous Congress government for signing an agreement that state will bear cost of such operations.
Earlier in the morning, Congress MLAs led a protest march to the Vidhan Sabha against the Centre’s stand favouring construction of the SYL canal during the Supreme Court hearing on the presidential reference to the Punjab Termination of River Waters Act.
The Congress legislators condemned their “being stopped from entering the Vidhan Sabha”, demanding the registration of an FIR against those responsible for stopping them and “pushing the legislators”. They alleged officials closed the entrance gate of the Vidhan Sabha on the Congress MLAs. They also demanded resignation of the Deputy CM-cum-Home Minister.
