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Just as the Governor got up to address the House, Congress MLA Avtar Singh Brar started delivering a parallel address that went on for 13 minutes. The opposition address contained a sharp attack on the ruling combine for its failure on all fronts as well as having been unable to fulfill any promises made in last year’s Budget. The Congress also took exception to the criticism of the previous government in the Governor’s address.
Immediately after Brar finished his addressed, all Congress MLAs, led by leader of the opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, walked out of the House, raising anti-government slogans.
Later, addressing mediapersons, Bhattal hailed the announcement of debt waiver scheme for small and marginal farmers in the Union Budget.
She asked the state government to announce a similar waiver. Saying that the debt advanced by private moneylenders was a state subject, Bhattal asked the Parkash Singh Badal government to waive Rs 14,000 crore of debt owed by farmers to commission agents by introducing a debt-relief scheme on the pattern of Union government’s plan.
She also asked the government to write off the debt of those farmers who hold land over five acres in the state. To a question, Bhattal said the detailed memorandum submitted by the state Congress to the Prime Minister and the UPA chairperson on February 23 was the main reason for the inclusion of Punjab farmers in the debt waiver package. “We highlighted the plight of farmers in a presentation given to the Union Finance Minister and the Agriculture Minister and we convinced them that the situation of farmers was quite worrisome and some relief should be given to them. On the other hand, the SAD-BJP combine did not have any scheme with them for farmers. How can they claim any credit for the relief scheme?” she asked.
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