War of Words Marks Start of Punjab Assembly Session on Labour Day

The special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly commenced on Friday with tributes to departed personalities, followed by sharp exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition, eventually leading to a walkout by Congress legislators. At the outset, the House paid homage to several eminent figures, including freedom fighter Chaman Lal, renowned photographer Raghu Rai, Lieutenant General Dipender Singh, and Olympian hockey player Gurbaksh Singh. All members stood for a two-minute silence as a mark of respect. Soon after proceedings began, a verbal exchange between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa set the tone for the day. Bajwa questioned the rationale behind convening a one-day special session, arguing that the government should instead hold a regular, longer session to address pressing issues facing the state. He maintained that such short sessions often fail to yield meaningful outcomes and remain largely symbolic. The special session, convened on May 1 to coincide with International Labour Day, was described by the state government as an effort to raise issues concerning workers. However, the opposition alleged that the government intended to use the session as a pretext to introduce a confidence motion. Tensions escalated further during the proceedings, culminating in a walkout by Congress MLAs led by Bajwa. The opposition members raised slogans against the government before exiting the House. During the session, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan took serious note of the repeated disruptions and personal remarks, issuing a stern warning to opposition members over the disorderly conduct. Earlier, Bajwa also made a controversial demand for all MLAs to undergo alcometer testing inside the House, which added to the charged atmosphere. The situation intensified when an exchange between the Chief Minister and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira over the use of a mobile phone during proceedings triggered further uproar. Amid the political confrontation, Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh presented a proposal to increase minimum wages for workers, highlighting the need to strengthen the economic condition of the labour class amid rising inflation. He also moved a government resolution on International Labour Day, acknowledging the contribution of workers to the state’s development. Following the opposition walkout, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema targeted both the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, accusing previous governments of failing to deliver meaningful welfare measures for Dalits and backward classes despite ruling the state for decades. Notably, members of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party were absent from the proceedings, making the session largely a contest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress.