The first day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session lasted just 10 minutes, but the Opposition BJP and Congress did not let go of the opportunity to target the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, illicit drug trade and the deteriorating law and order situation.While BJP leaders reached the Vidhan Sabha complex with the family members of a youth allegedly killed by the liquor mafia, Congress leaders, led by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and party president Pargat Singh, burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, accusing the government of failing to check the drug trade and maintain law and order.With Mann not present in the House, the Opposition’s allegations went unanswered. The abrupt adjournment also gave the Opposition fresh ammunition to attack the AAP government.The programme released last night had listed Question Hour and non-official business for the day. However, within 10 minutes of the start of the session, where obituary references were being made, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan announced that the House would remain adjourned until Friday.Congress leaders alleged that the government had curtailed the session to avoid accountability amid the Jhota controversy and an ongoing mass casual leave protest by government employees.“The government ran away from the Assembly session. Curtailing the session on day one itself shows the government’s fear of accountability,” Pargat Singh said.Before the session began, former Punjab BJP president Jattvibeil Jakhar and party MLA Ashwani Sharma reached the Assembly complex with Manju and Simranjit Kaur, mother and sister of Abohar resident Ajay Kumar, who was allegedly killed by the liquor mafia. The two women have refused to cremate Ajay’s body until an FIR was registered.Carrying placards seeking justice, the women alleged that the police had failed to act despite Ajay naming the alleged attackers in his statement before death. Jakhar said he would bring the victims outside the Assembly complex throughout the session until a case was registered against the liquor baron.Tributes paid to JhotaThe Assembly paid tributes to anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was shot dead by a chemist in Mansa on October 13. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan described Jhota, a former kabaddi player and boxer, as a “buland awaz”, saying his contribution to protecting the youth would always be remembered. The House also paid tributes to eight victims of the Sangrur road accident, former minister Chuni Lal Bhagat, ex-MP Varinder Singh Bajwa, former MLA Ranjit Singh, eminent doctor Rattan Lal Mittal and mother of MLA Manjit Singh Bilaspur.