'Mind your language': Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Pratap Bajwa fight over a 'lock' in Assembly

Punjab Vidhan Sabha witnessed a fiery exchange on Monday as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann presented a small padlock to the Speaker, symbolizing a desire to keep Opposition members within the House premises during proceedings. In a verbal volley directed at the Opposition, Chief Minister Mann criticized their disruptive behavior, asserting the mandate given by the people and the need for smooth functioning of the House. Despite the Speaker's appeals, confrontations persisted, with Chief Minister Mann issuing warnings and engaging in verbal sparring with Opposition MLAs.


Amid the heated argument between Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Congress MLA and LoP Partap Singh Bajwa in the state assembly, CM Bhagwant Mann says, "Who does Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi sit with? With me. Have you ever sat with them? On one hand, you are making agreements (on seat sharing) with us. Go and tell them (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) not to give Kurukshetra, Delhi and Gujarat (Lok Sabha) seats for us..."


The argument broke out after CM Mann gave the Speaker a lock and keys as a gift, saying it should be put on the House's door so that the Opposition can't leave and listen to the truth sitting here. He said that even the Governor's speech was not allowed to be completed because he was speaking the truth. He said the opposition would try to run away by making excuses, but they should not be allowed to run away.

Opposition leader Pratap Singh Bajwa got angry with this. CM Bhagwant Mann said that he would give another lock, so that it could also be put on his (Bajwa's) mouth. This ignited a sharp volley of remarks between both leaders.

Bhagwant Mann said, "Sit quietly otherwise the discussion will go to smuggling of gold biscuits". The Chief Minister said that when I talk about Guru Amar Das Ji, people are chanting slogans against him. They will not even get a place in hell. While commenting on Sukhpal Khaira, he said that I have already freed my village from him. You also get rid of it, otherwise it will clean you up, Mann adviced Congress.

Hitting out at Bajwa, the CM said that sometimes the lives of those people last only one or two days. I am not saying that Bajwa Sahib's life is short. If they want, I will let them sit on my chair for half an hour to at least feel like becoming a Chief Minister," Mann said.

"Despite studying in a convent, you don't know how to speak. You can't even pass a 25-mark Punjabi test," Mann added.