Punjab Assembly Chaos: Congress Demands Alcohol and Dope Tests for CM Mann and MLAs  

Chandigarh (IANS): Pandemonium ruled during a special one-day session of the Punjab Assembly on Friday, held to mark International Labour Day, as the Congress and other opposition parties accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of appearing drunk inside the House. The session was marred by heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, ultimately leading to a walkout by Congress MLAs.

Demands for Medical Verification

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, representing the Congress Legislative Party (CLP), formally demanded medical testing for all legislators to maintain the dignity of the House:

• Alcometer Testing: Bajwa insisted on mandatory breath analyser tests for all members, starting with the Chief Minister, within one hour of the incident.
• Dope Testing: The Congress demanded comprehensive dope tests for all MLAs across both the treasury and opposition benches.
• Speaker’s Office Protest: Following their walkout, several Congress MLAs reportedly entered the Speaker’s office to press for the immediate use of an “alcometer”.

Political Reactions and Allegations

The allegations sparked a wave of condemnation from various political factions:

• Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD): The party condemned the Chief Minister’s conduct on X (formerly Twitter), claiming he appeared intoxicated on a solemn occasion and demanding he undergo a dope test.
• BJP: State working President Ashwani Sharma stated that the Chief Minister’s behavior was an insult to the sacred legislative Assembly and the office he holds.
• Government Defense: Finance Minister Harpal Cheema dismissed the allegations as “totally false,” counter-accusing MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira of raising these issues to divert attention from allegations of illegal land encroachment.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann objected to the conduct of opposition members during the proceedings, which further escalated the tensions that required the Speaker’s repeated intervention to maintain decorum.