Bhattal suspended from Assembly,let off within hours

The Punjab Assembly on Thursday pardoned Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal after a privileges committee report indicted her of breach of privilege and recommended a seven-day suspension from the House.

The Punjab Assembly on Thursday pardoned Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal after a privileges committee report indicted her of breach of privilege and recommended a seven-day suspension from the House.

The privilege committee,headed by Akali Dal legislator Sarabjit Singh Makkar,was set up after members staged a protest during the last session on December 10 seeking removal of the Speaker. The report,tabled in the Assembly,held Bhattal guilty of tarnishing the image of the Speaker,behaving irresponsibility and obstructing the Speaker from discharge his constitutional duty. The report said the committee could have even recommended Bhattals expulsion from the Assembly,however,it chose to take a soft stand against her. In 2008,the House had expelled former CM Capt Amarinder Singh from the Assembly.

After a long discussion and criticism of the report from Opposition MLAs,the Assembly,following the intervention of the Speaker,granted her pardon. Before the pardon,Local Government Minister Manoranjan Kalia urged the House to reduced Bhattals punishment for two days. Kalia said,Bhattal has admitted her mistake before the committee. We should reduce the punishment to two days.

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While the Congress later lauded the Speaker for showing magnanimity,earlier,during the discussion,Congress MLA Jassi Khangura said,The committee has singled out a woman member of the House. Its like a kangaroo court order. If Bhattal is guilty,then we all need to be suspended.

Congress MLA Rana Kaypee said,The report is unfair. SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha was involved in the scuffle,and hes a member of the committee which has recommended suspension. Valtoha is the witness in the case,the investogator,the judge and the accused. Its all unfair. Sunil Jhakkar termed the decision feudal and arbitrary.

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