Unruly scenes were witnessed in the Punjab Assembly on Friday after Congress MLAs demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa.
As soon as second-day proceedings of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha began, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised the issue of the Jhota murder in the House.
After the Speaker asked Bajwa to let Question Hour start, the LoP, along with other opposition MLAs, rose from their seats and raised slogans against the AAP government.
Congress legislators, sporting black scarves, then stormed the well of the House, demanding resignation of the chief minister over the anti-drug activist's murder.
They also displayed a 'Lahnat Patra' (letter of condemnation) against the AAP government over various issues including law and order and the drug menace.
Treasury benches hit back at Congress
Despite Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan urging Congress MLAs to let questions be taken up, opposition legislators continued raising slogans against the AAP government.
The treasury benches launched a counter-offensive, with Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema targeting the Congress over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Cheema also slammed Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh over his past association with Shiromani Akali Dal, alleging it was during Akali rule that 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) spread in Punjab.
As Congress members continued their protest, treasury benches also raised slogans against the Congress.
At one point, Cheema and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira could be seen pointing fingers at each other.
Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh, MLA from Jalandhar Cantt, asked the treasury benches to accept the 'Lahnat Patra'.
Amid noisy scenes, the speaker was seen banging his gavel to restore order in the House. Later, Congress MLAs staged a walkout.
Anti-drug activist shot dead inside Mansa medical store
Anti-drug activist Parvinder Jhota, known for raising his voice against drug abuse and illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, was shot in broad daylight inside the medical store at a busy marketplace in Mansa on October 13.
Ashwani Kumar, the store owner who opened fire on Jhota after he questioned him for selling addictive drugs to an elderly man, was taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan.
The incident, which took place while Jhota was hosting a Facebook Live, triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, which goes to polls early next year.