Chandigarh,
Amid acrimonious debate, there were also moments when members of the ruling party and the Opposition indulged in light-hearted banter on certain issues.

During a debate on the Governor’s Address when a BJP member alleged that both the INLD and the Congress were doing politics on the SYL issue, Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal, who along with other party MLAs had sold ‘pakodas’ in the morning to highlight unemployment, said, “We don’t always sell pakodas. We practice politics in routine.” To this, Health Minister Anil Vij, who is known for his sarcastic and timely comments, quipped, “Your pakodas in the morning were made of bhang (hemp). I have ordered testing of the samples of your fritters.”

“Oh! Perhaps that is the reason why your CM relished our pakodas too much. Please do get the stuff tested,” replied Geeta Bhukkal.

Notably, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had tasted the ‘pakodas’ after purchasing from the Congress MLAs in the morning.

At this, a BJP MLA commented that Congress MLAs had mocked ‘pakoda’ sellers by selling fritters in the morning. However, Geeta Bhukkal justified the party’s act and maintained that the Congress wanted to drive home the point as to why should doctors and engineers be forced to sell ‘pakodas’ for want of jobs. At one stage when Congress MLAs pointed to “mining business” of Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nayab Singh Saini, the minister remarked in a lighter vein, “We don’t sell pakodas.”