Breaking: Congress MLAs storm Punjab Assembly, demand CM Mann’s resignation over Parvinder Jhota murder
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, October 23, 2026: Congress MLAs on Friday intensified their protest inside and outside the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, demanding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s resignation over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota and raising concerns over the law and order situation in the state.
Led by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh, the legislators wore black robes and raised slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. They entered the Well of the House during Question Hour with a “Letter of Condemnation”, seeking a discussion on the murder and other pressing issues facing Punjab.
The Congress also questioned why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had not visited Jhota’s family to offer condolences. In posts on X, the party claimed that neither a minister, a party president nor an MLA had visited the family to express sympathy. It also pointed out that Sangrur, the Chief Minister’s home district, shares a border with Mansa district, where the case has drawn attention.
Addressing the issue, Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh said the murder was the most important matter before the Assembly and accused the government of neither delivering justice nor allowing the Opposition to raise the issue.
The Congress also demanded Mann’s resignation, citing what it described as a deteriorating law and order situation. The party referred to frequent killings in Punjab and a reported robbery involving ₹12 crore in Gurdaspur, which it said reflected the seriousness of the security concerns.
The protest led to heated exchanges between Congress legislators and treasury bench members, including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. Congress MLAs later staged a walkout after Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan declined to accept their letter.
Cheema countered the Opposition’s allegations over drug abuse in the state, leading to further verbal exchanges in the House.
The Assembly session began on Thursday and is scheduled to continue until October 27.