Punjab speaker suspends nine Congress legislators

Following unruly scenes inside and outside the Punjab assembly Wednesday, the speaker Thursday suspended nine Congress legislators for the day.

The nine were suspended by speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal for the alleged assault on the watch and ward staff of the assembly.

Watch and staff member Jaipal Singh Wednesday filed a complaint with the Chandigarh Police saying he was dragged and beaten by the Congress legislators.

Atwal Wednesday charged Congress lawmakers with "criminally assaulting" the watch and ward staff while compromising the security of the assembly  complex here.

Congress legislators clashed with security personnel and the watch and ward staff in the Punjab assembly complex as a young woman, who was thrashed and abused by police officials in Tarn Taran, tried to barge into the complex during the ongoing budget session.

The commotion started when the victim, accompanied by Congress legislators, was taken to the  Congress Legislature Party (CLP) office in the assembly complex.

The security and assembly staff reached the office to take her away as she had entered without a valid entry pass.

This was objected to by Congress legislators and this resulted in a clash between them and the security  personnel.

Some Congress legislators, who were inside the assembly hall, shouted slogans against the government and staged a walkout.

Atwal said the Congress legislators, led by leader of opposition Sunil Jakhar, "had brought some unidentified and unauthorized persons without valid entry pass to Punjab Vidhan Sabha premises with unknown motives."