Punjab BJP chief calls for breathalyzer tests for all MLAs in assembly

Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar on Friday called for breath alcohol analyser tests for all legislators present in the State Assembly, which held a Special Session today. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha witnessed acrimonious scenes, with the Congress staging a walkout alleging that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended the House in an inebriated state.

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"If the government comes to the Assembly in an inebriated state, I believe it's not only an insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution, but also an insult to the temple of democracy," Jakhar said.

BJP Demands Breathalyser Tests

Speaking to the reporters, Jakhar said, "The Punjab Assembly is considered the temple of democracy. If someone enters a temple or gurudwara under the influence of alcohol, it's contempt and disrespect. Whether CM Bhagwant Maan goes for a floor test today or not...I have one request - given the importance of today's special session, all leaders should definitely undergo a breath analyser test...If the breath analyser test of all leaders is done, then there will be no need for a floor test."

Political Sparring Over Session

BJP leader Vijay Sampla told ANI, "We are holding a people's assembly, whereas the state government is holding a session that they claim is dedicated to the labourers of the country. However, in the last four years, there have been no government schemes for them. This is a mockery...they are just doing a floor test, so that they can rest for six months, but that won't work...BJP's session will highlight the real issues that the government needs to work upon...."

Meanwhile, AAP leader Baltej Pannu said, "BJP doesn't have MLAs, what will they do anyway inside the Assembly? So they have set up a fake one...Congress has nothing to do with labourers or Labour Day...Punjab is the safest state right now. What's happening in Manipur? What is the law and order situation in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh?

Congress Alleges CM Was Intoxicated, Demands Action

Earlier today the opposition parties in Punjab, including the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal claimed that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appeared to be intoxicated during the Vidhan Sabha proceedings and demanding that an alcohol test be undertaken by him.

Congress MLAs staged a walkout and urged the Speaker to initiate action, while the party also called for dope testing of all MLAs and an independent medical check by PGIMER.

Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded that an alcohol test be conducted. In a post on X, Khaira posted, "Cm @BhagwantMann was found drunk in the Vidhan Sabha today! We @INCIndia walked out of the house demanding from the Speaker @SpeakerSandhwan that an alcohol test of Cm @BhagwantMann be conducted, and we offered to undertake the test ourselves too."

"The conduct of @AamAadmiParty CM Bhagwant Mann had lowered the prestige of the august house of Vidhan Sabha. We @INCPunjab MLA's urge @ArvindKejriwal to take action against Cm for impropriety and that too by being drunk in the assembly-Khaira," the post read.

The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) has formally written to the Speaker, urging immediate alcometer (or breathalyzer) and dope testing of the Chief Minister and all MLAs during the ongoing Assembly session. The letter suggested deploying an independent medical team from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, to ensure fair and impartial testing. (ANI)