In what is being described as a "black day for democracy' by the Opposition, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were dragged out of Punjab Assembly by marshals when they forcibly entered the House, after being suspended by Speaker for disrupting the proceedings.

Two of the AAP MLAs, including a woman legislator Sarabjit Kaur Manuke, fainted and had to be hospitalised and turbans of two other MLAs came off when they were being dragged out by the marshals.

The incident took place during the Question Hour when AAP MLAs led by the Leader of Opposition, H S Phoolka, trooped into the well of the House and protested against suspension of two of their colleagues Sukhpal Khaira and Simarjit Singh Bains from the session. The two were restricted by the police from entering the Vidhan Sabha building following an order by the Speaker.

On not being allowed to speak, the MLAs made attempts to rush to the podium of Speaker Rana K P Singh to register their protest, who directed marshals to evict them from the House.

In an unprecedented show of unity, the order drew protests from SAD-BJP MLAs led by Sukhbir Badal who came in support of AAP MLAs and walked out. SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who had been under constant attack of AAP, even rose to speak against the Speaker with the tossed turban of the AAP MLA in hand.

"We have our differences, but the way women MLAs were disrespected in the House is condemnable. It is a repeat of 1984 by Congress," SAD MLA Bikram Singh Majithia demanding resignation of the Speaker.

Both SAD-BJP and AAP MLAs together forced their way into the House and jointly raised slogans against the Speaker, who again ordered marshals to evict the suspended AAP MLAs from Vidhan Sabha building.

Pandemonium prevailed in the House, while MLAs were being dragged out dismantling tables. Turbans of two of the AAP MLAs namely Manjit Singh Siddhu and Pirmal Singh Dhaula came off in the melee.

AAP MLA Rupinder Kaur Ruby said, "We were dragged out of the House twice and our dupattas were trampled upon. It is a mockery of democracy."

"We did not know that our entry was barred, because there was no notice put up outside the gate of the House. Our MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke whose arm was fractured in an accident before was dragged out and she had to be hospitalized, said Leader of Opposition, H S Phoolka.

Terming the incident as a reminder of Emergency, AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu said, "Never in the history has such disrespect been meted out to MLAs in the House in Punjab."

Mounting attack on Congress, SAD President Sukhbir Badal said, "The Speaker has insulted the Sikh community by desecrating symbols of Sikh community. Such unprecedented violence ordered by a Speaker in such a ruthless manner has never occurred in the history of the State assembly."

"It is shameful, that our religious symbols were disrespected inside the sanctum sanctorum of democracy. People have elected us to the House and we are not being allowed to speak," said AAP MLA Nirmal Singh Dhaula, whose turban came off in the jostling.

Akal Takht, the temporal seat of Sikh community and Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) condemned the incident and took stern notice of the issue.

On the other hand, in the resumed proceedings, a privilege motion was moved against the AAP MLAs for disrupting the proceedings, damaging the property of the House and for assault on a watch and word woman by AAP MLA Jai Kishen during the melee.

SAD-BJP comes in support of AAP

"It is for the first time that women legislators were disrespected like this in the House. It is a black day in the democracy of the country. It is dictatorship by Congress," said former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who met the injured AAP MLAs in the hospital, even though he has remained absent from the House due to ill-health.

CM Punjab condemns Opposition's behaviour

"AAP MLAs are novices and do not know about the sanctity of the House, but at least SAD knows. Action should have be taken against all MLAs who have been breaking the rules of the Assembly and throwing papers at the Speaker, besides creating unnecessary ruckus over non-issues. It was against all democratic norms," said CM Captain Amarinder Singh as he flayed the opposition for creating ruckus.

AS IT HAPPENED