Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party MLAs in Punjab staged a sit-in protest in the state Assembly premises on Monday, demanding copies of the proposed legislation to be tabled against the central farm laws.
The Aam Aadmi Party MLAs sat in the Well of the House till late evening after which they moved to the gallery outside the assembly, but confined themselves within the assembly complex building demanding copies of the Bill which the state's Congress government is now expected to introduce on Tuesday.
Earlier, Finance and acting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the state government is consulting constitutional experts on the issue of legislation to counter the new farm laws and added copies of various bills to be tabled during the two-day session will be given to the opposition parties by the evening.
Even after the adjournment of the session for the day on Monday afternoon, AAP legislators continued their dharna, demanding copies of the Bill to counter the legislation enacted by the Centre.
Late in the night, Leader of Opposition and AAP leader Harpal Cheema said, "We will sit here through the night and continue the protest as we are yet to get copies of this and other Bills to be tabled during the session.
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"AAP will support the legislation against the farm laws but the government should have given us its copies. We haven't got copies of other bills as well. How can our legislators discuss and debate important issues?" Cheema said.
As the assembly area had to be sanitised and sealed overnight in view of the COVID-19 situation, the AAP MLAs including few women legislators of the party were asked to shift outside the House.
Earlier, the AAP members were persuaded by the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Vidhan Sabha officials to end their protest, but they remained adamant on their demand.
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Notably, four years ago when Congress was in opposition in Punjab, their party MLAs had spent the night in the Punjab assembly seeking a debate on the no-confidence motion against the ruling SAD-BJP combine, which was defeated by voice vote, and had refused to vacate the House till the government gave an assurance that a discussion will be allowed on it.
Meanwhile, in the State Assembly, Shiromani Akali Dal said the Bill to counter the Centre''s farm laws should have been introduced on Monday itself.
(With inputs from agencies)
