The special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday turned tense after a heated exchange between members of the ruling party and the Opposition. What began as a calm sitting to discuss a resolution marking Labour Day soon escalated into chaos. The situation worsened after Congress leaders accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of being intoxicated during the proceedings. The allegation led to loud protests inside the House and eventually a walkout by Congress MLAs.

At the start of the session, the atmosphere remained largely peaceful. Members gathered to deliberate on the official resolution related to Labour Day. However, the tone shifted when Chief Minister Mann objected to Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira for using a mobile phone during the session. Mann stressed that members must follow strict decorum inside the Assembly. He pointed out that even basic conduct, such as posture and attention, reflects respect for the House.

Responding to this remark, Khaira raised an issue from a previous session. He claimed that Mann’s wife had once sat with her legs crossed in the visitor’s gallery. This comment led to a sharp reaction from the Chief Minister. Mann clarified that his wife had corrected her posture at the time and reminded Khaira that she is not a member of the House. He further accused Khaira of making unnecessary personal remarks. “She corrected herself. She is not a member of the House. You even target my daughter. Ae bakwas karda (he talks nonsense) Speaker Sahib. He should be medically treated on the Assembly’s expenses,” said Mann.

The exchange increased tensions inside the Assembly. While discussions on the Labour Day resolution were still ongoing, Khaira made a serious allegation. He claimed that the Chief Minister was present in the House in an inebriated state. This accusation changed the direction of the session entirely. The claim was soon supported by the Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, who demanded immediate action.

Bajwa urged the Speaker to take the allegation seriously and verify it through proper means. He called for an alcohol test to be conducted on all members present in the House. He emphasised that such a claim against the head of the state could not be ignored. “An honourable member has levelled a very serious charge and that too on the head of the state. If it is true, then it is a black day in democracy. You are the custodian of the House; my request is, close the doors and get an alcohol test done on all members present,” said Bajwa.

Following this demand, the Assembly witnessed loud protests from both sides. Members from the treasury benches strongly defended the Chief Minister. They dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated. At the same time, Opposition MLAs continued raising slogans and pressing for an alcohol test. The situation became increasingly disorderly, making it difficult to continue the proceedings in a normal manner.

As the uproar intensified, the Congress members decided to stage a walkout from the House. They left the session in protest, stating that their concerns were not being addressed. The walkout marked a clear breakdown of dialogue between the ruling party and the Opposition during the session.

Later, outside the Assembly, Bajwa and Khaira addressed the media. They repeated their allegations against Chief Minister Mann. Both leaders maintained that Mann was in a drunk condition during the session. Khaira went further and claimed that such behaviour was not new. He alleged that the Chief Minister had appeared intoxicated at several public events in the past as well.

Bajwa also questioned Mann’s conduct and confidence. He suggested that such behaviour could reflect deeper issues. “CM has lost confidence and sometimes when you are in such a state, you tend to imbibe certain ‘things’. But he should not have come to the House in such a state,” said Bajwa. His statement added to the seriousness of the allegations and kept the issue in public focus.

The incident has once again highlighted the sharp political divide in Punjab. What was meant to be a day for discussing workers’ issues turned into a confrontation over personal conduct and accountability. The demand for an alcohol test inside the Assembly is unusual and reflects the level of mistrust between the ruling party and the Opposition.

The ruling party has not accepted the allegations and continues to stand by the Chief Minister. On the other hand, Congress leaders have indicated that they will continue to raise the issue. The developments from this session are likely to have political repercussions in the coming days, as both sides remain firm in their positions.