Opposition accuses Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann of appearing drunk in Assembly

Opposition parties in Punjab, including the Indian National Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal, on Friday (May 1) accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of being under the influence of alcohol during proceedings in the Punjab Assembly and demanded that he undergo an immediate alcohol test.

The controversy erupted during the Assembly session, with Congress legislators staging a walkout and pressing Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to intervene. The party also sought a wider medical screening of all legislators, including dope testing and an independent examination by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research. The Chief Minister, however, denied the allegation.

Khaira escalates charges

Senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded that the Chief Minister be tested without delay. “Cm @BhagwantMann was found drunk in the Vidhan Sabha today ! We @INCIndia walked out of the house demanding from the Speaker @SpeakerSandhwan that an alcohol test of Cm @BhagwantMann be conducted and we offered to undertake the test ourselves too,” Khaira stated in a post on X.

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“The conduct of @AamAadmiParty Cm Bhagwant Mann had lowered the prestige of the august house of Vidhan Sabha. We @INCPunjab Mla's urge @ArvindKejriwal to take action against Cm for impropriety and that too by being drunk in the assembly-Khaira,” he added.

Bajwa questions sanctity of House

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa also targeted Mann, questioning the sanctity of the House. “What should we even do coming to the Assembly where the Chief Minister is in an inebriated state? What is the purpose of holding a session when the head of the state is completely sozzled? We demand that everyone's test be conducted,” Bajwa said.

SAD joins criticism

The Shiromani Akali Dal too echoed similar accusations, calling the alleged incident a matter of public shame. In a social media post, the party said, “It is a matter of great shame that @BhagwantMann showed up drunk with alcohol in the hallowed chamber of the Vidhan Sabha on the occasion of 'Labour Day' today...”

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Meanwhile, Swati Maliwal and Sunil Jakhar also demanded testing, intensifying pressure on the government.

CM denies charges

Lashing out at the Opposition over the allegation, Mann said that they have no other issues to raise and hence were making such baseless remarks. "They have no issues to raise. What test should be done," he says on Congress' demand for an 'alcohol test' on him," he added as quoted by ANI.