Congress MLA Kulbir Zira Attended Punjab Assembly Session Despite Contracting Covid-19: SAD

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday alleged that Congress MLA Kulbir Singh Zira put the lives of other legislators at risk by attending the Assembly session despite being coronavirus positive. Zira had tested positive for the infection after attending the one-day Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday here.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia asked Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K P Singh to take note of the risk Congress legislator Zira posed to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the entire Vidhan Sabha. Majithia also accused Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu of “facilitating” Zira’s entry into the assembly. He demanded the registration of a criminal case against both.

Majthia, along with SAD legislative party leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, said his party expected the Speaker to act in a totally unbiased manner keeping in view the rich tradition of the Vidhan Sabha. However, if he does not do this and plays a partisan role to justify the illegal acts of Zira as well as the unbecoming conduct of the health minister, the SAD will be constrained to bring forth a notice for the removal of the Speaker from his chair, both leaders said in a statement.

Majithia claimed that Zira had tested for COVID-19 on August 26 at Ferozepur. Instead of abstaining from attending the assembly session on August 28, Zira allegedly procured a COVID negative report on Friday morning on the basis of which he attended the session, alleged Majithia and Dhillon.

Majithia also lashed out at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, saying he first gave a statement that SAD legislators who had come in contact with MLA Gurpartap Wadala, who tested COVID positive, should not attend the assembly session.

“However on the day of the session, the chief minister uttered a white lie saying the SAD MLAs deliberately did not come to the session,” he asked. He also asked why the CM has gone into seven-day quarantine. “Isn’t he following the same protocol which was followed by the SAD MLAs? If yes, then why he is trying to befool people with malicious lies,” he asked.