Punjab Assembly Discusses Karo Na Virus As AAP MLAs Attend Session Wearing Masks

CHANDIGARH — In an apparent pun on the word ‘coronavirus ’, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)  MLAs in Punjab wore masks during the ongoing assembly session on Thursday saying that the state government had been infected with ‘Karo Na’ (don’t do) virus.

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While speaking to HuffPost India, Punjab leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema said that Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh led government has failed to provide free mobile phones to the students which they promised ahead of the 2017 assembly elections. The government had also announced huge reforms in the education sector but no work had been done on the ground, Cheema said.

“Punjab CM had promised that his government will start the first phase of the smartphone distribution from the Republic Day this year. The first batch of 1.6 lakh smartphones was promised to be given to girl students of Class 11 and 12. Now, after a month, the chief minister says the supply was hit by the coronavirus,” AAP vice-president and MLA Aman Arora said.

Speaking about the delay, the Punjab CM informed the assembly that the smartphones being imported from China could not be delivered following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.

The opposition claimed that it was not China but the Punjab government which had been afflicted with ‘Karo Na’ (don’t do) virus as it failed to fulfil election promises even as three years had gone by.

While, Punjab cabinet minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi objected to AAP MLAs  attending the assembly with faces covered by masks, Speaker Rana KP Singh came to their rescue, saying the faces were only partially covered.

Following this, the issue was soon lost in laughter.