Chandigarh: High drama unfolded in the Punjab Assembly on Friday after Opposition leaders accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of attending the House under the influence of alcohol, triggering a massive uproar and a walkout by Congress legislators.
The controversy erupted during a special session convened on the occasion of Labour Day. Proceedings, which began on a relatively calm note, soon turned acrimonious after a heated exchange between the treasury benches and Opposition members. Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition, along with Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, alleged that the Chief Minister appeared “inebriated” in the House.
Bajwa demanded that an alcohol test be conducted on all legislators present, arguing that the seriousness of the allegation warranted immediate verification. “Close the doors and get an alcohol test done,” he urged the Speaker, calling it a matter of institutional integrity.
The demand intensified as Opposition members raised slogans and pressed for action, leading to chaotic scenes inside the Assembly. Amid the uproar, Congress MLAs staged a walkout in protest.
Leaders from other Opposition parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, also joined the attack, echoing calls for a medical or alcohol test and terming the alleged conduct “shameful.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, rejected the allegations, with party leaders dismissing them as baseless and politically motivated. The Chief Minister, responding during the session, urged members to maintain decorum and focus on the agenda of the special sitting, which was meant to honour the working class.
Former AAP MP Swati Maliwal, who recently defected to the BJP, wrote on social media, “Today, once again, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has arrived at the temple the Punjab Legislative Assembly, completely intoxicated with alcohol.”
The confrontation further escalated political tensions in the state, with both sides trading sharp accusations.
