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The Pathankot MLA later expressed regret over his comment, saying he had used a Punjabi proverb and had no intention of hurting anyone’s sentiments.
News18
The Punjab Assembly witnessed heated exchanges on Thursday after BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma’s remark on the birth of a girl child triggered strong protests from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The Pathankot MLA later expressed regret over his comment, saying he had used a Punjabi proverb and had no intention of hurting anyone’s sentiments.
The controversy began during Zero Hour when Sharma criticised the AAP government for blaming the Centre for every issue. His remarks came after Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal accused the Centre of not supporting Punjab in generating revenue from sand mining.
Goyal said Punjab could have earned more than Rs 20,000 crore from sand mining if the Centre had extended support. Rejecting opposition claims of illegal mining, he blamed the lack of cooperation from the Centre.
Responding to Goyal, Sharma said the state government was making political statements and blaming the Centre for all problems.
“Your situation is such that if a girl child is born, then the Centre is at fault and if a boy takes birth then it is (your) hard work,” Sharma said in the Assembly.
“You turned it into a platform for making political statements. You blame the Centre for every issue,” the BJP MLA added.
AAP Demands Apology Over Remark
Sharma’s comment led to strong reactions from AAP leaders in the House. Cabinet Minister Aman Arora called the statement a reflection of a “discriminatory mindset” and said such remarks could not be accepted.
“Do you differentiate between a boy and a girl? It is a discriminatory mindset,” he said.
Arora asked Sharma to apologise to women and daughters in Punjab, saying girls were performing well in every field and bringing pride to the country.
“Such a mindset cannot be tolerated,” the AAP leader remarked.
Sharma Expresses Regret, Defends Statement
Later, while speaking to reporters, Sharma said his comments were directed at the AAP government’s approach and not against women or girls. He expressed regret if his words hurt anyone’s feelings.
In a letter to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Sharma said he had used a Punjabi proverb “with due apologies” during the debate and had no intention to offend anyone.
He also accused the AAP government of politicising the issue by moving a condemnation motion against him. Sharma urged the Speaker to ensure fairness and said that if his remarks were found to be unparliamentary, they could be removed from the Assembly records.
(With inputs from PTI)
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