THE FORTHCOMING session of Punjab assembly, scheduled to commence on 19 June, may turn stormy as the main Opposition Congress is all set to raise issues of glorification of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister late Beant Singh, and construction of Operation Bluestar Memorial, at the floor of the house.
Rajoana, on death row for killing the Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in 1995, was scheduled to be hanged on 31 March. But a massive uproar by the Sikh community forced the Centre to put a stay on his execution.
A senior Congress leader said that the matter related to declaration of Rajoana as a living martyr and controversy related to the construction of the memorial by a section of Sikh clergy will certainly be raised, as it is the demand of the majority.
It is the constitutional duty of SAD-BJP government to maintain peace in the state for which it is subjected to reply the concern of Opposition, he added.
It will be an acid test for the BJP too as it will also be forced to clarify its stand on the issues pertaining to militancy and terrorism, as glorification of a militant is directly related to the relentless fighting of BJP’s central leadership.
It is worth mentioning that this session of Punjab assembly has been summoned by the Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil for 11 days.
The budget of the state for the current financial year will be presented by Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa on 20 June.
The budget had already been presented by the minister seeking approval of the house for June.
The SAD-BJP alliance will have to face the Opposition heat on the issues relating to political vendetta and alleged irregularities in the municipal corporation election.
News Source: Tehelka
