Governor Banwarilal Purohit was addressing the Assembly on the first day of the budget session. (File)
Heated exchanges took place between the ruling AAP and the opposition Congress benches after Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa asked Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to not use the phrase "my government" in his address, saying the AAP government does not "recognise" him.
When the Governor began his address on the first day of the budget session, Congress leader Bajwa interrupted him and said he should not use the phrase in his address.
"This government does not recognise you," Mr Bajwa told the Governor, apparently referring to a tussle between the AAP government and the Raj Bhavan.
To this, the governor told Mr Bajwa that there should be no "controversy".
"Do you say I should not utter 'my government'," Governor Purohit asked Mr Bajwa. "This is the custom." "Ok, I will use only government, 'my government' I will not speak," said Governor Purohit, adding that there should be no controversy.
Then members from the treasury benches rose from their seats and objected to Mr Bajwa's comments, leading to heated exchanges. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann too objected to Governor Purohit's decision on not using "my government" in his address.
"I am not a first-time governor. I was the governor of Assam, I was the governor of Meghalaya and I was the governor of Tamil Nadu,” Governor Purohit told them.
But Chief Minister Mann insisted that he use “my government” in his address and the governor began using the phrase. Later, Congress members staged a walkout from the House.