Punjab Congress demands alcohol, dope tests of all Assembly members, including CM Mann

CHANDIGARH: Seeking breath analyser and dope tests of all members, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, pandemonium prevailed in the Assembly at its special one-day session on Friday to mark International Labour Day, with the main Opposition Congress MLAs staging a walkout after heated exchanges over conduct inside the House with treasury benches.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa demanded a closed-door alcohol test on all MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha after allegations of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appearing drunk inside the House.

The Congress alleged that questions had been raised about the conduct and physical condition of members during proceedings and insisted that medical verification was necessary to maintain transparency and accountability in the House.

Following the walkout, several Congress MLAs reportedly entered the Speaker’s office, pressing their demand for an “alcometer” test of all legislators, further escalating tensions inside the Assembly complex.

Heated arguments were witnessed, with the Opposition blamed for disrupting proceedings and lowering the dignity of the House.

The Speaker had to intervene on several occasions to maintain decorum.

Tensions rose when Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann objected to Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s conduct during proceedings, leading to disruptions and heated exchanges between the treasury and the opposition benches.

Finance Minister Harpal Cheema told the media that Congress’ allegations that Chief Minister Mann was drunk were totally false. “A few days ago, a complaint was filed against him (Khaira) and a report subsequently surfaced, accusing him of illegally encroaching upon Panchayat land,” he said, citing the reason for the accusation by the Opposition.

Later, in a letter to the Speaker, Bajwa, on behalf of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP), drew his “immediate attention to a matter of grave concern affecting the dignity and decorum of this august House”.