Punjab Assembly session begins amid opposition protests

The Budget session of the Punjab Assembly began on Tuesday amid protests by the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP against rising farmers' suicides and blamed the ruling Congress government of not doing enough.

The SAD lawmakers staged a walkout shortly after the Assembly commenced.

They also protested against Governor V.P. Singh Badnore, who in his opening speech, said that Punjab's current financial crisis was due to the policies of the previous SAD-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance state government (2007-2017).

He accused the alliance of reckless spending which pushed Punjab further into a debt trap.

Later in the day, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal marched with the families of farmers, who had committed suicide in the last two years, towards the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

The protesters were, however, stopped by the Chandigarh Police.

--IANS

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