The Punjab Vidhan Sabha, on the opening day of the monsoon session on Monday, paid tributes to the prominent personalities who have passed away since the last session.
Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan read out the obituary references for former MLA Sahi Ram Bishnoi, who died at the age of 104 years; Sepoy Sarabjit Singh, freedom fighter Seva Singh, Olympian Randhir Singh; and lyricist and writer Bhula Ram, popularly known as Chann Goraya.
Manjeet Singh Dhos, uncle of MLA Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhos and Bhupinder Singh Pahra, uncle of MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra, were also included in the obituary list.
On the recommendations of MLA Sarvjit Kaur Manuke, the assembly also paid respects to Sikander Singh, an armyman who recently passed away while on duty. Sandhwan read briefs highlighting the life and personality of each departed soul, and the House observed a two-minute silence in their memory.
The House also expressed condolences over the deaths of students linked to the uncertainty surrounding the NEET examination paper leak and conveyed sympathies to their families.
Later, Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Nachhatar Pal urged the House to include the names of all those killed during the counter-insurgency operations of the 1980s and 1990s, including police personnel and civilians. He also referred to missing human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who had exposed the alleged illegal cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies during that period.
