The ongoing dispute between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has escalated, with Purohit stating that he will seek legal advice before deciding whether to give permission or not to hold the Budget session of the Punjab government on March 3. The Governor's decision is based on the "derogatory and patently unconstitutional tweets and letter" written by CM Mann in response to his earlier letter this month.
The Council of Ministers had recommended that the Budget session be held from March 3 to March 24, but the Governor's approval is required. In his letter to the Chief Minister, Governor Purohit reproduced the letter and tweet Mann sent in response to the initial letter by Governor on 13th February. Mann responded by saying in both the letter and the tweet that he is accountable only to the people of Punjab and not to any Governor appointed by the Central government and instead questioned the governor's intentions .
This latest chapter in this dispute occurred on the same day that the Aam Aadmi Party government is hosting its first Investors Summit, calling for investment from industry leaders across the country. The investment meeting is considered pretty crucial as there were already a lot of questions about whether the investments in Punjab are safe due to increasing cases of violence in the state. Some companies have even shifted their operations from Punjab to U.P.
The Governor's initial letter questioned several decisions made by the government, including the appointment of a "tainted" person as chairperson of Punjab Infotech and the removal of an illegally appointed Vice-Chancellor of PAU. The question regarding transparency about the selection of the teachers selected by the Punjab Government to be sent to Singapore for training was also raised in it.
To avoid any legal issues, the Governor has sought legal opinion before deciding on allowing the Budget session of the Punjab government on March 3. The ongoing dispute between the Governor and the Aam Aadmi Party government has created uncertainty about the functioning of the government and its ability to implement key policies in the state. The situation remains fluid, and it is unclear how the dispute will be resolved.
You can read the Governor's letter to the CM below :