Chandigarh, Sep 22 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the state government has now decided to summon a session of the Assembly on September 27 to discuss various issues pertaining to the state.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said the government will approach the Supreme Court against the arbitrary and anti-democratic decision of the Governor to cancel the permission of holding a special session of the Vidhan Sabha after giving permission for it.
He said it is an unfortunate move and they will move to the apex court against this irrational decision.
Mann asserted that this decision will be challenged in the Supreme Court for safeguarding the democratic rights of the people and federal rights of the states.
Training his guns against the Punjab Congress for supporting 'Operation Lotus' of the BJP, the Chief Minister said it is ironic that the Congress, which is the biggest victim of this undemocratic operation, is standing by the side of the saffron party.
He said the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP were hand in glove for this sinister move aimed at toppling the democratically elected government of Punjab.
Mann unequivocally said that the Congress and the BJP have marginalized regional parties, adding that now they want that power should remain confined between them only.
However, the Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has taken birth from an anti-corruption crusade and the party under the leadership of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is gaining momentum with every passing day.
He categorically said they will oppose every anti-democratic move and will not be threatened by pressure tactics.
Mann envisioned that Punjab will send a message to the entire country that in democracy people and not any individual is supreme.
Interestingly, the move comes a week after neighbouring Madhya Pradesh permitted liquor sales at all its airports, select supermarkets in four major cities and also allowed issuing home bar licences to those earning Rs 1 crore or more annually.
The incident took place on Wednesday and the accused are said to be illicit liquor sellers in the area. It has been alleged that the woman was also gang-raped. A video of the incident showed the woman being attacked.
Both Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu have urged Rahul Gandhi to announce a CM face well ahead of the polls, instead of going with the collective leadership.
The ministry of external affairs organised the summit virtually on Thursday which was attended by the heads of all five Central Asian countries -- Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.
Harcharan Bains, Principal Advisor to SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal, shared documents pertaining to the reported abuse of the state intelligence wing by a private company, Movedek Politico. Bains said there are credible reports that the highest-ranked police officers of the state were asked to collaborate with the private company in intelligence gathering.
Two-time Member of Parliament and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann will be contesting from Dhuri in the February 20 polls in Punjab. The announcement was made by state affairs co in-charge Raghav Chadha in Mohali on Thursday.
