Cong MLAs refuse to vacate Punjab Assembly complex

Punjab Congress MLAs on Tuesday refused to vacate the Assembly even after spending the night in the House and stuck to their demand of a debate on the no-confidence motion moved by the party against the state government.

The protesting MLAs refused to accept the appeal of CM Parkash Singh Badal, who reached the spot, to call off their protest. As many as 26 Congress MLAs have been protesting against the decision of the Speaker not allowing a debate on the no-confidence motion which was defeated by a voice vote on Monday.

Earlier, a heated exchange took place between the security personnel and the MLAs, including Amarinder Raja Warring and Sukhjinder Randhawa, after the police stopped their colleagues from entering the Assembly complex. Despite the security personnel restricting the entry, Warring and Randhawa managed to bring two MLAs, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Balbir Singh Sidhu, into the Assembly complex. Senior leaders Ambika Soni, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Lal Singh and Raj Kumar Verka were among those not allowed entry into the House and they were sitting outside the Assembly.

Bhattal alleged that not allowing the Congress MLAs to enter the House amounted to “murder of democracy”. Several MLAs, including Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Lal Singh, Raj Kumar Verka, Kewal 

Dhillon and Bram Mohindra, staged a protest outside the Assembly complex and some Congress members even burnt an effigy of the SAD-BJP government.