Steel plates rattle Punjab assembly

Chandigarh, June 21 (UNI) Pandemonium prevailed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today when opposition Congress members disrupted the House proceedings by banging of steel plates with spoons, forcing Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon to adjourn the House for an hour.

The opposition members were dissatisfied with the assurance given by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during zero hour that the government was willing to acceed to their demand and review the list of beneficaries for the cheap wheat and pulses scheme to be launched on August 15.

"All genuine beneficaries will be given wheat at Rs four per kg and pulses at Rs 20 per kg as committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in its manifesto and for this I seek the cooperation of all, including the Opposition", Mr Badal said while replying to the charges of Leader of the Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal that Congress workers or supporters were not being included in the list of beneficaries of the scheme and only Akali workers were being extended this benefit.

Assuring that the the scheme would be launched on August 15, Mr Badal said that 13.59 lakh families are expected to be covered, which was roughly one third of the population of the state. He however did not conceed to the demand of the Opposition that the BLP beneficary limit be raised from Rs 30,000 per annum to Rs 60,000 per annum.

Regarding the charge of political vendetta leveled by Mrs Bhattal and harassement of workers leaders and workers, the Chief Minister made it clear that no innocent would be harassed, but the law would take its course against those who have violated the legal process.

He even assured the agitated Congress members that he was willing to review all cases registered in the last three months against their party leaders and supporters.

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