Punjab Assembly today paid tributes to late Union Minister Gopinath Munde, writer Khushwant Singh and victims of Beas river tragedy, who died recently.
On the opening day of budget session, Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal led the House in paying tribues to Munde and others who died during the interim period between the last and this session of the state Assembly.
Besides Munde, among those whose services were recalled were former Minister Khushhal Bahl, former Rajya Sabha member and writer Khushwant Sngh, former MP Harbhajan Singh Lakha, former MLA Kuldeep Singh Bhattal, 15 freedom fighters, a Punjabi writer Shah Chaman and two journalists.
The House also paid tributes to the victims of Beas river tragedy in which 24 students of an engineering college of Hyderebad lost their lives when they were washed away in the gushing waters of the river in Himachal Pardesh.
A two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the departed souls.
After obituary references, the House was adjourned for the day.
Tomorrow, the state budget for year 2014-15 will be presented by Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa.
