Punjab assembly pays tribute to former president APJ Abdul Kalam among others

CHANDIGARH: Punjab assembly, on the first day of its monsoon session, here today paid rich tributes to former president A P J Abdul Kalam and victims of terror attack in Gurdaspur district among others.

Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal led the House for paying tributes to Kalam and others.

The members of the assembly also held a two minutes silence in the mark of respect to the departed souls.

Recalling the services of Kalam, who died on July 27 this year, Atwal listed the achievements of the 'missile man of India' in the spheres of nuclear energy and space.

The speaker also eulogised the services of Surva Mukherjee, the late wife of president Pranab Mukherjee.

Besides, the heroes of terror attack in a police station in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district on July 27 in which four police personnel, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Baljit Singh laid down down their lives fighting militants form Pakistan were also remembered on the occasion.

The House recalled the services of former minister Choudhary Jagjit Singh, former MLA G K Chatrath, ten freedom fighters, including Hardial Singh and Harnam Singh, Hero group's leading industrialist O P Munjal, social worker Savdesh Chopra, religious leader Bishop Simforum Kipearth Thomas and eminent artist Nek Chand.

All these people have died in the interim period of the last and this sitting of the assembly.

Atwal also paid tributes to pilgrims who were killed in building collapse at Gurdwara Manikaran Sahib in Himachal Pardesh.

Congress MLAs Balbir Singh Sidhu and Ajit Inder Singh Mofar were keen that the names of farmers who had committed suicides due to debt should also be included in the obituary references. However, the speaker disallowed their plea.

After 16-minutes the House was adjourned for the day and will meet on next Monday.

On the opening day, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was conspicuous by his absence.