Chandigarh (National Times): High drama unfolded in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday as Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema launched a fierce verbal attack on Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa during the announcement of the Assembly session’s extension till July 15.
As Bajwa and other Congress MLAs staged a protest in the House, Cheema didn’t hold back, accusing the senior Congress leader of having deep-rooted connections with gangsters and the BJP.
“Who brought Ansari into Punjab? Who fed the gangsters in Punjab? You were the one. Punjab knows it all,” Cheema thundered. “You gave birth to gangsterhood in the state. Now we are cleaning it up, and whenever we take action against the drug mafia, you come to defend them. Punjab has seen your real face. You take U-turns on every issue,” he added, drawing loud reactions from both benches.
Cheema’s aggressive remarks came just days after an FIR was registered against him and Housing Minister Aman Arora based on Bajwa’s complaint. The FIR, filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), accuses the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of circulating a doctored video misrepresenting Bajwa’s statements.
Reacting to the FIR, Cheema dismissed the case as politically motivated. “Go file as many FIRs as you want. Punjab knows you’re in touch with the BJP. You took their help to file this fraud case. I welcome the FIR, go ahead and file hundreds more, we are not afraid,” he said, turning the tables on Bajwa.
The confrontation has intensified the political heat in Punjab, with both AAP and Congress exchanging sharp barbs inside and outside the Assembly. As the extended Vidhan Sabha session moves forward, the political spotlight remains firmly fixed on the ongoing FIR dispute and the deepening rift between the ruling party and the opposition.
With the state facing major issues like drug trafficking, gang violence, and governance challenges, many observers worry that the continuing political theatrics may overshadow the need for constructive debate and resolution in the Assembly.
