Pandemonium in Punjab assembly over law and order situation

Chandigarh, Feb 22 (UNI) The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP alliance today stalled the proceedings of the Punjab assembly when their plea for an adjournment motion to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in the state was rejected by the Speaker.

The opposition benches, led by SAD president Parkash Singh Badal, went to the well of the House during the zero hour and also demanded that the state government should disclose the names of all those 300 terrorists who were ''unconstitutionally'' rehabilitated by the police without their trial, as confessed by Punjab DGP S S Virk at a press conference recently.

As soon as the zero hour began, State Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh informed the house that the cops responsible for the custodial death at the Batala city police station were suspended and a case under section 302 IPC was registered against them and the jailer of Nabha jail was suspended for brandishing an under trial prisoner as a scheduled caste on his back with a hot iron rod.

''Such incidents are very shameful and the government has taken action against the erring cops,'' the chief minister said.

However, Leader of Opposition Parkash Singh Badal said the state explain about the revelations made by the DGP that the police had rehabilitated 300 terrorists without putting them to trial. Such issues are very serious in nature and the house needed special allotment of time for discussion on the subject, Mr Badal said.

But when the speaker rejected their demand for the adjournment motion, the opposition members created noisy scenes and went into the well of the house, raising anti-government slogans.

Speaker Dr Kewal Krishan then adjourned the proceedings of the house for an hour. And when the house re-assembled, he asked the opposition to file a notice under rule 77 for discussion on the law and order situation in the state.

UNI PS JS PA VC1610