BJP MLAs should've opposed Punjab bills in assembly rather than being absent: Chidambaram

The former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said that if the BJP MLAs supported the Centre's policy and the agriculture-related Acts passed by Parliament, they should have participated in the Punjab Assembly proceedings and opposed the state government's bills.

New Delhi:Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday questioned the absence of BJP MLAs in Punjab when the state assembly passed the bills to negate the central farm laws and alleged it was "political cowardice" on their part.

"Why did the BJP MLAs stay away from the Punjab Assembly when the House was considering the Bills introduced by the state government," he asked.

The former finance minister said if the BJP MLAs supported the Centre's policy and the agriculture-related Acts passed by Parliament, they should have participated in the Assembly proceedings and opposed the state government's bills.

"What the Punjab BJP MLAs did can be aptly described as political cowardice," he said on Twitter.

The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution rejecting the Centre's new farm laws and passed four bills that it said will counter the contentious legislation enacted by Parliament.

The bills were passed and the resolution adopted unanimously after over five hours of discussion on the second day of a special assembly session called by the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government.

The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party and Lok Insaaf MLAs backed the bills and the resolution. The two BJP MLAs were not present in the House.

PTI Report