New Delhi: The Winter Session of Delhi
Assembly got off to a stormy start on Monday with the Congress
government coming under fire from BJP over issues like
corruption and trifurcation of the municpal corporation.
Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna, who gave the customary
address to the House, also came under the Opposition`s line of
fire as BJP MLAs took potshots at him whenever he highlighted
the Sheila Dikshit-led government`s achievements.
Indifferent to the Opposition`s furore, Khanna continued
with his address stating that the city government had taken a
number of steps to "impart a new fillip to the ongoing process
of good governance".
From the word go, it was trouble as BJP MLAs were on
their feet shouting slogans. Even the opposition MLAs were
shouting slogans even before Speaker Yoganand Shastri formally
announced the start of the five-day session.
In his speech, Khanna defended the move to trifurcate the
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) saying the smaller bodies
would address the day-to-day problems of the citizens "more
expeditiously and effectively".
Praising the government for promoting "inclusive growth"
in the capital, he said that it had made "relentless
efforts to make itself participatory, consensus-oriented,
accountable and transparent."
The BJP kept accusing the government of being "riddled
with corruption" and demanding the strengthening of the
Lokayukta institution in the capital.
More fireworks are expected in the coming days as well,
with the BJP, which will try to use the session as a campaign
platform ahead of MCD polls, promising to raise several issues
"plaguing" the Sheila Dikshit government.
"The government has been evasive on a lot of issues. We
will ensure that it replies to a range of issues plaguing it,
from irregularities in selecting unauthorised colonies for
legalisation to corruption and price rise," Malhotra told
told reporters outside the House.
"We will also demand the strengthening of the Lokayukta
to bring corrupt minister in the regime to book," he said.
Defending her ministers, Dikshit accused the opposition
of vitiating the atmosphere in the House with "baseless
allegations".
"Delhi has become a world class city as a result of the
string of policies and schemes we have introduced. The BJP is
just looking for some fodder to belittle us," she said after
the session.
On the move to trifurcate the MCD, she said it would only
benefit the capital and help redress civic grievances more
effectively.
Another issue likely to come up in the coming days is the
Delhi government`s decision to infuse a Rs 500-crore fresh
equity into the BSES keeping in view inability of the company
to pay dues to various generation firms, including NTPC.
BJP has alleged that this bailout was "undue financial
favours" to the tune of Rs 500 crore to power companies under
the "garb" of raising equity.
The party had also said they will come down hard on the
issue of alleged irregularities in giving provisional
regularisation certificates to a number of unauthorised
colonies.
PTI
