Punjab Assembly session curtailed; Oppn hits out at Cong govt

The business advisory committee of the Punjab Assembly today decided to curtail the duration of the winter session to two days, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition parties.
Under the new schedule, the winter session will come to end tomorrow, instead of November 29.
The business advisory committee (BAC), chaired by Speaker Rana K P Singh, took the decision at a meeting after the opening day's session here today.
"There will now be a single sitting on November 28," said Punjab Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, who is also a part of the BAC.
He said that there was no additional legislative work to be taken up on the third sitting of the session.

He added the session could be extended if need arose.

"The timing of the morning session tomorrow can be extended if need arises," he said.
The decision of the BAC came amid growing demand from the opposition parties for a longer session for taking up the burning issues of Punjab.
The Congress-led government had come under fire from the opposition parties for holding a three-day winter session of the Assembly.
Lashing out at the Congress government, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and leader of opposition in the House Sukhpal Khaira said the government was trying to "suppress the voice of opposition which wanted to take up several issues concerning the people in the House".

"There are several issues such as farmer suicides, law and order problem, illegal mining which can be discussed in the House," Khaira said.
Khaira, who is also a member of the BAC, said he recorded his dissenting note and walked out of the meeting.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the decision to further curtail the sittings of the ongoing session proved that the government was trying to "run away" from the debate.
In a statement here, the SAD president said it was shocking that legislative business in the ongoing session had been curtailed from three sittings to two.

"The SAD had submitted a memorandum to the Speaker demanding the session be extended to discuss emergent issues. The Speaker assured to look into the demand," he said.
However, the business advisory committee reduced the number of sittings, he said.
"This proves that the government does not want to discuss any of the people's issues listed by the SAD including a discussion on the crisis in the farm sector, breakdown of law and order, withdrawal of all social welfare facilities and non-fulfilment of all promises made to farmers, youths and unemployed," he claimed.
The SAD president claimed the SAD-BJP alliance was not even consulted on the matter. "Former minister Ajit Singh Kohar was only invited as a special invitee in the business advisory committee meeting which decided to reduce the sittings in an arbitrary and dictatorial manner," he claimed.