Congress Stages Walkout From Punjab Assembly, Demands Alcohol Test for CM Bhagwant Mann

A heated political confrontation broke out in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday during a special one-day session, after the Congress staged a walkout alleging that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appeared to be under the influence of alcohol while attending the House proceedings. The allegation triggered chaos inside the Assembly and sharply escalated tensions between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the Opposition Congress.

The special session, convened to discuss a resolution on Labour Day, initially began on an orderly note. However, proceedings turned confrontational when Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann objected to Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira using a mobile phone during the session. Mann reportedly reminded members about maintaining decorum in the House, stating that there were established rules of conduct for all legislators during proceedings.

The exchange quickly intensified when Khaira responded sharply to the chief minister's remarks, making personal references that further inflamed the situation. Mann, in turn, strongly objected to the comments, leading to a visibly tense atmosphere inside the Assembly. The speaker attempted to maintain order as both sides continued to exchange heated remarks during the ongoing debate on the resolution.

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The situation escalated further when Sukhpal Singh Khaira alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was present in the House in an inebriated state. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa supported the allegation and demanded that an alcohol test be conducted not only on the Chief Minister but also on all members present in the Assembly. The demand sparked uproar and led to further disruption of proceedings.

Following the allegations, Congress MLAs staged a walkout from the House, accusing the government of failing to maintain dignity in legislative proceedings. Outside the Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa reiterated the demand for an inquiry and maintained that the conduct inside the House required scrutiny. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party strongly rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated and aimed at disrupting the session.

The incident has added to the ongoing political tension in Punjab, where clashes between the ruling party and opposition have intensified over various administrative and governance issues. With both sides exchanging serious allegations, the controversy is expected to continue dominating the political discourse in the state in the coming days.

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