They were wearing aprons saying “Punjab da cancer, Badal Sarkar (Punjab’s cancer – the Badal government)” when Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal arrived and tried to talk them out of their stake-out.
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The stand-off between the Punjab government and the state Congress party continued on Tuesday with the state police preventing senior Congress leaders from reaching the Assembly in support of the 27 party legislators who had stayed inside the Vidhan Soudha on Monday, according to media reports.
Earlier, electricity was switched off but it was later turned on by the staff of the House and the MLAs received refreshments from their supporting staff during the night.
Almost two dozen Congress MLAs have been squatting inside the Punjab Assembly since last evening, refusing to leave unless the Speaker reverses a particular ruling and scripting rare history in Indian politics. State Congress chief Capt. Amarinder Singh “arranged dinner” for the MLAs.
The trouble started on Monday evening when the no-confidence motion was defeated even before the debate could take place by a voice vote and amidst pandemonium, Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal adjourned the house till Wednesday. Congress had moved the no-confidence motion on Monday and refused to leave the House until they were heard.
He said the legislators spent the night inside the house to lodge their protest despite the electricity supply being disconnected.
“You may be able to run away from the Vidhan Sabha, how long can you run away from the people and we are going to drag you to people’s court”, the former Chief Minister added. When he failed to draw them out, he had the staff open the assembly canteen.
He said that he had come to them with utmost humility as Leader of the House.
“I appeal to you with folded hands, both in my personal capacity and as Leader of the House to join the proceedings of the House as it resumes tomorrow. We will take the fight to streets”, she said.
The Congress was demanding a debate on government’s failure to protect the interest of the state on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Channi announced that the sit-in at the Assembly hall would continue till Wednesday.
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Former Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, while in the Opposition, had secured permission from then Bengal Speaker Saila Kumar Mukherjee on February 16, 1954, to stay back in the Assembly to avoid arrest.
