Musical chairs,boycott and a walkout mark Day 1

There was also the usual Centre-bashing. “The aspirations of people of Punjab have been often thwarted by successive governments at the Centre. The state has been denied legal rights over capital Chandigarh,river waters; there are efforts to undermine the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and discriminatory formula for identifying below poverty line families has kept large number of Punjab’s poor out of welfare schemes,” Patil said.

Patil’s address also blamed the previous Congress government for obstructing the state’s biggest investment in Bathinda refinery and leaving an unenviable fiscal legacy. But it was only after he had spoken on roads,power,airports and colleges that the Congress decided it could not sit through what Bhattal later described as “half lies,rest boring”.

“We had earlier decided to sit through the entire address as a matter of respect for the Governor. But the address was full of lies and we almost felt sleepy. Even the governor seemed ill at ease while speaking all those lies. After we had enough of it,we decided to walk out. There is absolutely nothing in the Governor’s speech which is why they have kept only two days to debate it,” she told reporters after the walkout. The Congress Legislature Party meeting began soon after to decide their future course of action and issues to be raised during the session.

On the timing of the walkout,Congress MLA from Guruharsahai,Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi,said,“It took us a while to read through the entire speech. After we read it,we realised it was full of white lies. Where are the 17 government colleges in backward districts? They are claiming that link roads have been upgraded and repaired. They are all in bad shape.” After today’s proceedings got over,Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said,“We are ready to extend the session if Opposition asks for it.’’ He also termed as “unfortunate” the walkout by the Congress.

Seat 90 to stay empty

Former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been allotted a seat in the third row on the treasury benches. His seat (number 90) is in the row where senior MLAs sit,the first two rows being reserved for the CM and ministers. Earlier Manpreet as finance minister was sitting in the first row. Manpreet told The Indian Express he had decided to boycott the entire Budget session owing to both his ongoing Jago Punjab Yatra and being made to sit in the treasury benches. “I have planned rallies in many districts during the budget session and will not be allowed time to speak inside the House. So attending the session will not be of much use,” he said.

Through the day…

* Cong to Governor’s rescue: Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil was coughing while reading his address and had to drink water many times to regain breath. The Congress claimed to have understood the predicament of a Congressman. “Even the governor was not able to tell all those lies and was choking,” a Congress MLA said after the walkout.

* The faux pas : While giving the Badal government credit for setting up world-class skill development institutes like IIT and ISB,Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil misspelt ISB (Indian School of Business) as SSB. But unaware of the faux pas,he continued to speak nevertheless.

* Punjab inspires Centre: Patil in his address gave Punjab’s populist atta-dal scheme as the inspiration behind the Centre’s Food Security Act. “The Government of India has paid Punjab a handsome compliment by adopting the atta-dal scheme for the entire country,” he said.

* Lensmen can wait: No sooner did Congress stage a walkout,the room of the Congress Legislature Party in the Vidhan Sabha was flooded with reporters and lensmen. While many in the party wanted to pose for cameras a bit longer,CLP leader Bhattal said,“photowan baad wich hondiya rehengiya asi meeting kar laiye (photos can be clicked later,let’s begin the meeting).

* After the Governor’s address,as the national anthem started playing,everybody in the House,except government officers in the officers’ gallery,got up. Those who could be seen sitting included the Chief Secretary and the DGP. A few visitors,too,did not bother to get up.

* ‘Timely’ tidings : Governor Shivraj Patil arrived in the Vidhan Sabha four minutes before 2.30 pm,when his address was scheduled to start. But when he was about to begin his address,Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon pointed out that the time in the assembly clock was 2.29. An immaculately dressed Patil,in a sherwani and pajama,checked his wrist watch and said,“Meri ghari ke hisab se barabar hai (according to my watch,its already 2.30).

* It was not just the Congress members who said they feared dozing off during the Governor’s address. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal too was seen struggling to keep his eyes open. One person who read the address with rapt attention was Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The Congress walkout prevented many from taking a power nap.