Opposition today targeted the SAD-BJP government in the on-going budget session of Punjab Assembly over the issue of education, inter-linking of rivers and high tuition fees being charged from students belonging to Schedule Castes.
During the Question Hour, Opposition Congress member Tarlochan Singh said, "the standard of education is falling in view of present law as per which students get promoted till eighth class despite their poor academic performance."
He sought to enact a separate law to replace the existing one. However, Education Minister Daljeet Singh Cheema said first it was important to know whether education is a state subject or falls in the Concurrent list.
Many members of the treasury benches too seconded the Congress MLA on re-introducing the system in order to have board examinations for fifth and eighth standard.
They opined that such a system would not promote students performing poorly in these classes to higher standard.
Cabinet Minister Tota Singh, who had also served as the education minister earlier, told the House that "education is a state subject and the assembly should re-introduce the system of conducting board examinations for students in fifth and eighth standard."
However, Congress members, including Tarlochan Singh, Charanjeet Singh Channi and Gurkirat Singh Kotli demanded that the House should pass a resolution on the issue and sent it to the Centre.
But, Tota Singh intervened saying there was no need to do so as education is a state subject. He found support in another cabinet minister Sikander Singh Maluka.
With his own flock taking divergent stands on the issue, Cheema said, "it appears the members here are making mockery of the Constitution."
"Each and every member present here is trying to become a judge by expressing his independent opinion on the issue of education," he said.
With the Speaker finding no concrete reply from the minister, he asked Cheema to come prepared tomorrow.
The House also witnessed heated arguments between cabinet minister Tota Singh and SAD MLA Jagir Kaur on the issue of setting up of a grain market in her Begowal constituency in Kapurthala.
She sought to know that by what time the work for the grain market would be completed as concerned officers have cleared all formalities in this connection.
However, Tota Singh told the House that the grain market can not be constructed on low lying area as it is eight feet deep than the existing earth level at the site.
