Punjab Assembly Chaos: Allegations and Denials Over Money Collection

The Punjab Assembly witnessed heated exchanges after Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa accused state power utility officials of collecting money for the AAP during the Delhi polls. Power Minister Harbhajan Singh refuted these claims. The Speaker intervened to restore order amid calls for a probe into the allegations.

The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday became a battleground after Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa charged officials from the state power utility with collecting funds for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi assembly elections.

Power Minister Harbhajan Singh vehemently denied these accusations, criticizing the opposition's leader for making what he described as baseless claims. The intense back-and-forth prompted Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to intervene, calling for order and banging his gavel to calm the escalating tension. During the session's zero hour, Bajwa alleged that an engineers' association from the Punjab State Power Corporation had addressed a letter to the chief minister, claiming funds were solicited from a superintendent engineer in Hoshiarpur for facilitating the AAP in the Delhi elections.

Bajwa also stated that the demand was made by the PSPCL circle offices allegedly on behalf of the Power Minister.

Despite the letter reaching the chief minister, Bajwa noted no action was taken. The allegations further extended to corrupt revenue officials involved in dubious land registrations, with a purported claim that the vigilance bureau had already corresponded on this with the chief secretary. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema countered these allegations, challenging the absence of any formal complaints by the association, while Cabinet Minister Aman Arora vouched for the integrity of Harbhajan Singh, affirming that any implicated officials would be duly dealt with.