CISF Debate Turns Bitter in House; Bajwa Calls Assembly a ‘Stage’; AAP Hits Back
Babushahi Bureau
Harshabab Sindhu
Chandigarh, July 11, 2025 : The Punjab Vidhan Sabha witnessed sharp exchanges on Thursday during the discussion on the resolution to withdraw CISF deployment from Bhakhra and Nangal dams, with the debate taking a political turn between the opposition and treasury benches.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, while extending support to the resolution, questioned the AAP government’s stand, calling it contradictory. “On one hand, the state government is opposing the deployment of CISF at Punjab’s dams, but on the other hand, CISF is deployed in full strength at the Punjab Civil Secretariat from where the government functions,” Bajwa said.
He further stirred controversy by calling the Punjab Vidhan Sabha a “stage” and accused the AAP government of using the Assembly to enact political drama rather than address real governance issues.
His remarks sparked immediate backlash from Punjab AAP president and cabinet minister Aman Arora, who condemned Bajwa’s statement as an insult to the sanctity of the House. Arora demanded that a privilege motion be brought against Bajwa for calling the Vidhan Sabha—a sacred institution—a stage.
Responding to Bajwa's CISF remarks, Arora clarified that the Punjab Civil Secretariat falls under the jurisdiction of Union Territory Chandigarh, and the deployment of CISF there is a decision taken by the Chandigarh administration, not the Punjab government.
The fiery exchange added to the intensity of the ongoing session, which earlier saw Congress legislators staging a walkout during the tabling of the resolution on dam security.