Punjab Vidhan Sabha passes resolution condemning delayed rural development fee release; Congress MLAs stage walkout

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Session: The second day of the special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly commenced with discussions and proposals presented by various ministers. Local Government Minister Balkar Singh proposed focusing solely on the purpose for which the session was called and refraining from introducing any other proposals.

"Operation Lotus"

However, Leader of the Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa objected, demanding clarity on the reason behind convening the session. He referred to a previous session held nine months ago on "Operation Lotus," where MLAs, including the Chief Minister, had expressed concerns and filed complaints.

Bajwa sought an update on the progress made since then, but the speaker informed him that the matter is still under investigation.

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Following this, Congress MLAs decided to boycott the session. Bajwa expressed frustration over the government's lack of response and the absence of a specific agenda for the session.

State Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddiyan raised another issue, highlighting the pending release of the RDF fund from the Central government. He proposed approaching the Central government to release the RDF fund amounting to 3622 crores, emphasising that the delay in receiving this fund has hindered rural development works in Punjab for the past four seasons.

Gurdwara Amendment Act

During today's session, there is a possibility of passing an amendment bill concerning the transmission of Gurbani from Harmandir Sahib. The amendment to the Gurudwara Act 1925 was approved in a cabinet meeting held on Monday. This move by the state government has sparked controversy and opposition, including a dispute with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

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Additionally, a proposal may be introduced to appoint the Chief Minister as the Chancellor in Punjab's universities, replacing the current arrangement where the governor serves as the chancellor. This proposal stems from recent conflicts between the AAP government and the governor over the appointment of vice-chancellors.

The SGPC has protested against the amended bill proposed by the Punjab cabinet, and the opposition has joined in criticising the state government's approach. While many opposition leaders consider the step to be in the right direction, they express disapproval of the method chosen by the government.

It is important to understand the need for a new act. The SGPC was established under the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925, which does not mention the broadcast or live telecast of Gurbani. The newly approved "The Sikh Gurdwara (Amendment) Act 2023" includes the addition of Section 125-A within the Gurudwara Act 1925 itself. Once approved by the Assembly and the Governor, all channels will be able to broadcast Gurbani live without the need for viewers to pay for specific channels.

Certain regulations have been set for the broadcast of Gurbani. No advertisements will be shown 30 minutes before and after the Gurbani broadcast, and running display ads will not be permitted during the broadcast. Channels violating these regulations may face consequences. 

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