New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly Budget Session will kick off on Wednesday and the BJP is gearing up to corner the ruling party on women's safety, hike in power tariff, water tariff and on delays in the regularisation of unauthorized colonies.
The Opposition is also set to raise the spending of Rs 3,500 crore on cleaning of the Yamuna and how the courts have passed strictures against the Delhi Government in the matter. The Congress has said it would welcome a discussion on any issue of public interest raised by the BJP.
The BJP on Tuesday had sought resignation of Speaker Yoganand Shastri citing "serious remarks" made against him by the city Lokayukta on a complaint of alleged corruption and misuse of public funds. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly VK Malhotra, in a letter to Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna, requested him to advise Shastri to step down "on moral grounds" in the wake of remarks by Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin but the Speaker rejected the allegations and said he was ready for any kind of probe. The complaint against Shastri has been filed by former Secretary of Delhi Legislative Assembly Siddharth Rao in which he made allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds and amenities to the tune of several crores of rupees by the Speaker.
Shastri vehemently rejected all the allegations and claimed that Rao was trying to "blackmail" him. "He (Rao) is trying to blackmail me. These allegations are motivated and totally baseless. I am ready for any kind of probe. I totally reject the charges," he said.
Malhotra also said that the BJP will try to corner the government on law and order situation and "failure" of the Transport department to regulate public transport in the city even after massive public outrage in the wake of the December 16 gangrape. Malhotra said despite public protests following the incident, Delhi government has not done anything to regulate public transport so that women can travel safely in the city.
The Congress, however, said it was ready to confront the opposition and they should not be shying away from participating in the discussions. "We are ready to discuss any issue in the House. We will be happy if BJP participate in the discussions. They are not interested in welfare of people of Delhi and always resort to theatrics on each and every issue," said Mukesh Sharma, Parliamentary Secretary of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Dikshit, who is also holding the portfolio of Finance department, will present the Budget for the year 2013-14 on March 20. Addressing a press conference, Speaker of the Assembly Yoganand Shastri today said said notices for a total of 844 questions have been received by the assembly secretariat from the MLAs so far. Shastri said government will present a number of bills including "The Delhi Water Board (Amendment) Bill, 2013" in the House.
With Additional Inputs from PTI
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