Delhi’s BJP MLAs meet LG, attack AAP over assembly session

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and leader of opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri led all BJP MLAs to meet lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Thursday, ahead of the upcoming session of Delhi assembly. “We informed the LG that the Delhi assembly has been functioning unconstitutionally for the past three and a half years. There is no discussion on Delhi’s issues and problems in the assembly, and its purpose has been reduced to providing a platform for making derogatory remarks against the central government, Prime Minister, Home Minister, LG, and officers,” leader of opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said after the meeting.

The session of the Delhi assembly has been convened from August 16 amid the ongoing tussle with the central government over the control of bureaucrats working with the Delhi government.

“We informed the LG that not a single proposal sent by the opposition MLAs for discussion in the assembly has been accepted so far. The rule to issue 15 days advance notice before convening the budget session, monsoon session and winter sessions is not being followed. Even in regular sessions like the budget session, question-answer time has been curtailed. The session convened on August 16-17 is also an emergency session, and no time for question hour has been allotted in the current session as well,” said Bidhuri.

The 70-member Delhi assembly has 8 BJP MLAs and 62 AAP MLAs.

Sachdeva and the BJP leaders suggested to the LG that the LG should take steps to safeguard the dignity of the assembly, the rights of its members, and the the money of Delhi’s taxpayers. “The assembly session costs crores of rupees, but if discussions are not held on people’s issues, then there is no accountability for resolving them. They also suggested that expert opinions could be sought in this matter or a committee could be formed to address this unconstitutional situation,” Sachdeva said.