JOIN USThe budget session of the Delhi Assembly began on a stormy note on Wednesday with leader of opposition V K Malhotra demanding Speaker Yoganand Shastri to step down and resign in the wake of corruption allegations against him, and “serious comments” by the Lokayukta on those complaints.
The BJP’s demand was strongly refuted by Congress, which objected to “unverified allegations” and “disrespectful behaviour” of the opposition.
After a long ruckus and sloganeering, when Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna finally began his speech highlighting the government’s achievement, BJP members disrupted the proceedings several times.
Lokayukta Justice (retd) Manmohan Sarin on Monday had asked the LG to get allegations of corruption worth Rs 5 crore against Shastri investigated since he could not do so because the Speaker does not come under the preview of the Lokayukta.
Amid BJP’s constant clamour of the Speaker’s resignation, it was left to the leader of the House, and CM Sheila Dikshit stood up in defence of the Speaker.
“Members of the House strongly condemn the unprecedented behaviour of the opposition, V K Malhotra and members of his party by asking for the resignation of the Speaker, Delhi Vidhan Sabha without any basis of verification,” said Dikshit.
“They have shown great disrespect to the chair and members, including myself, express deep anguish and pain over this sort of uncalled for attitude of the leader of opposition,” said Dikshit in her address to the House. She sought to know from Malhotra the ground of his conclusion — is it based on fact or just an unverified and motivated report?
The unsubstantiated remarks against the Speaker, the Constitutional functionary, by a body that has no jurisdiction or competence under the law needs the strongest condemnation, Dikshit added.
BJP later announced that it will start a procedure to bring a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. “We have no faith in him and he should step down immediately,” said Malhtora.
Earlier, Khanna spoke about great infrastructural changes in the city in the past 15 years. He said the government is committed to regularising each and every unauthorised colony after the 895 already regularised ones in September 2012.
He then went on to appreciate the government’s policies in the order of social welfare, education, fiscal, transport and health. In his 15-minute-long speech, Khanna did not talk about a single new government scheme or initiative.