As Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday dared the Opposition to come for an open debate on November 1 on the SYL and other issues related to the state, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa accepted his challenge. PPCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, however, posed questions to the CM before accepting it.CM Mann, in his tweet, said: “It’s my open invitation to Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, SAD president Sukhbir Badal and Punjab Congress chief Raja Warring that instead of squabbling daily over different issues, let us debate in front of the media and Punjab residents.”Accusing the CM of diverting the attention, Warring sought to know about the financial health of the state in the last one and half year, how many youths have died of drug abuse, a number of farmer suicides, new recruitment done, financial aid released to flood-affected farmers, besides other issues.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition proposed the debate in a more spacious and accessible location such as the PGI Auditorium or Tagore Theatre in Sector 18, Chandigarh. This was necessary to thwart interference from the Punjab Police, he said.
Bajwa said a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge from Punjab should be appointed as a debate moderator. The issues like the prevailing law and order situation, debt stress, corruption, uncontrolled availability of drugs, mining, vendetta politics and ethics in politics should also be discussed, he said.
