Unruly scenes were witnessed in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday after the opposition SAD sought dismissal of health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu over the alleged issue of diversion of buprenorphine tablets from de-addiction centres across the state.
SAD legislator Bikram Singh Majithia, speaking During the Zero Hour in the ongoing budget session here, alleged that a scam of Rs 200 crore had taken place under which five crore buprenorphine tablets, a scheduled drug, had gone missing from drug de-addiction centres.
He said a case should be registered against Sidhu and demanded his dismissal from the cabinet.
"We demand inquiry into the matter and also dismissal of the minister," Majithia said.
Replying to the allegations, Sidhu said he had already ordered a probe into the matter.
Amid sharp exchanges between the two, Sidhu used some objectionable words against Majithia, following which the Shiromani Akali Dal legislators stormed the Well of the House.
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As their demand of ordering a probe into the matter was not accepted, the Akali legislators staged a walk out of the House.
Talking to the media outside the House, Majithia held Sidhu responsible for an alleged Rs 200 crore scam, claiming that the health minister had indulged in a "cover up" after the issue was flagged by the health secretary, who even ordered an inquiry into the matter.
Earlier, during the Zero Hour, Aam Aadmi Party legislator Aman Arora tried to corner the state government over the alleged issue of liquor mafia in the state.
He alleged that because of liquor mafia, the state had been suffering revenue loss of Rs 5,000 crore per annum. He urged the government to form a state-owned liquor corporation to check illegal smuggling of liquor.
Members of the AAP staged a walk out of the House when a private member's bill on setting up liquor corporation was rejected by the Speaker.
Later while participating in the debate on the Governor's address, AAP legislator and leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said the government should make the sealed report on drug peddlers public through a special writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Cheema, during Zero Hour, said DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya had submitted a sealed cover report in the high court.
As the chief minister concluded his address on the motion of thanks to Governor's address, SAD members Majithia and N K Sharma sought certain amendments in the address including mentioning of arrears, pending dearness allowance of government employees and unfulfilled poll promises.
However, the Speaker rejected their demand, prompting them to storm the well of the House.
Members of the AAP also rushed to the well when Speaker did not allow them to speak after the chief minister's address.