New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that the Congress is worried about vote bank not law and order in Rajasthan, asking whether the BJP pitching Modi as the first OBC PM not vote bank politics.

Sibal's jibe came a day after Modi, while addressing a rally in Jodhpur, said when law and order is in such a state, there is no investment and trade suffers.

But the Congress cares more about its vote bank than Rajasthan's well-being, Modi had said.

In a post in X, Sibal said, "Modiji: Congress worried about vote bank, not law and order situation. Modiji: Where is the law? Where is the order? ED & CBI is the law? Manipur is the order?"

"BJP: Modi is the first OBC prime minister, not vote bank politics?" the former Union minister said.

Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA I and II, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.

He has floated a non-electoral platform 'Insaaf' aimed at fighting injustice.

 

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Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.

During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.

After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.

The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.

Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.

However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.

The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.

Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.

The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.

"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.

As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.

On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK