BJP MLAs SHALL DEBATE ABOUT FORSAKING THEIR PAY IN THE NEXT SESSION

 In a joint Press Conference today Delhi BJP Pradesh President Shri Satish Upadhyayand Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly Shri Vijender Gupta have accused the Speaker and the Government that Dy. Chief Minister Shri Manish Sisodia did not allow any debate on VAT in the House. Such important amendment bill was passed within few seconds and they informed the media outside that they had allowed debate on this subject in the House but the opposition did not participate in it. This way they have tried to mislead the House, media and the people of Delhi. MLAs Shri Om Prakash and Shri Jagdish Pradhan were also present in this press conference.

Shri Satish Upadhyay said that after looking into the proceedings of the two regular and one special session of Delhi Assembly during the tenure of Kejriwal Government it has become clear that this Government is not ready to listen to the most important pillar of democracy the opposition party because of their brute majority. We have seen impasse in the proceedings of the Parliament also but the use of marshals in the actions taken through the Speaker by the Government against the negligible opposition has not been witnessed ever in Parliament or in any Legislative Assembly of any state.

He said that its seems to us that for the purpose of covering up the acts of anarchy of the MLAs of the ruling party the Government is trying to keep the opposition out the proceedings of the House. Public fund is being misused for the glorification of the Chief Minister. Advertisements are being published in the newspapers & on radio programmes of other states about the development by Delhi Government and appeals are being made to remember them. It seems that in place of talking about the issues of Delhi the Aam Aadmi Party is being projected at national level.

Replying to the media on the demand by Aam Aadmi Party for hike in their pay and allowances, BJP MLA Shri Om Prakash Sharma said that we have joined politics only for public service. I am of the view that the present pay and allowances are sufficient but personally I will work on a pay of rupee 1 only.Leader of BJP Legislature Party Shri Vijender Gupta and MLA Shri Jagdish Pradhan supported the sentiments of Shri Sharma and said that we shall move a motion in the House during the next session for this purpose. We shall accept only secretarial expenses and not accept pay.

 Shri Vijender Gupta said that the opposition had asked question to the Government about the Co-terminus appointments on the Government posts. In spite of Starred Question the related minister did not reply and treating the opposition in a step motherly way, the Speaker did not allow debate on this important question on the excuse of lack of time. The budget session concluded within six working days. Even during these six days 80 percent of the time of the House was spent on accusing the Central Government and playing dirty politics by the Aam Aadmi Party in place of conducting Legislative works. It was also regrettable that the behaviour of the Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly was not impartial and role was doubtful. He did not allow the Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly who belongs to a National Party like BJP to speak in the House and informed the media that he had given 20 minutes to the Leader of the Opposition to speak. They did not allow even a member of AAP Shri Pankaj Pushkar to speak in the House. Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal insulted a member of his own party in the House. Shri Gupta also accused that the Government allowed half an hour to ordinary MLAs of its party to speak on unimportant issues but he did not care about the dignity of the Leader of the Opposition.

Shri Gupta said that the partial and doubtful conduct of the Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly can be seen in video recording and verified. In its decision on a PIL filed against 76 seconds advertisement on FM radio being broadcast 40 times a day glorifying the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court had clearly directed that the public fund should be spent only on public welfare. Public money should not be spent on the advertisement glorifying any leader or the Chief Minister. Disregarding this decision the Aam Aadmi Party Government has made provision for a fund of Rs. 526 crores for the rest nine months of the year 2015-16. It clearly shows that this Government neither cares about the Constitution nor it has any respect for the most respected institution the Supreme Court.

Shri Vijender Gupta also said that the founder member of AAP and the senior advocate of Supreme Court Shri Prashant Bhushan have also condemned this decision of the Government and said that he will move the Supreme Court against this provision of Rs. 526 crores for advertisements and request for ordering appropriate punishment to the Delhi Government. It may be mentioned that the increase in the fund for advertisements by Delhi Government is about 200% on this item. In contrast provision of funds for about half a dozen departments is only from 100 crores to 300 crores. This also includes Labour and Employment Department. This department provides employment to the jobless people. It shows that the Government is not interested in providing employment.

The Delhi Government conducted the House in such a manner that there was an emergency in Delhi. The Assembly is the highest forum where the voice of the people is raised. The voice of the opposition has continuously been suppressed. The opposition was not allowed to speak. When they tried to speak the microphone was disconnected. Marshals were used again and again in the House to expel and insult the opposition members.

BJP MLA Shri Om Prakash Sharma was not allowed to speak even after being allotted time to speak and he had to go out of the House. Expelling him from the House on 23^rd June, 2015 Hon’ble Speaker made unbecoming and un-parliamentary comments which can be seen by anyone in the video recording of Delhi Legislative Assembly. BJP is very much disappointed and agitated due to the conduct of the Speaker in the House. The BJP members will soon meet the Lt. Governor on this issue and demand action against the Government.

MLA Shri Om Prakash Sharma said that we are members of a strange House. Many members use un-parliamentary language in the house but in this House the Speaker used un-parliamentary language many times and subsequently he deleted them by using his privilege. A new record was created of disconnecting microphone of the opposition and the rule book became irrelevant. The Government’s obstinate attitude continued till the court issued directions to behave.

MLA Shri Jagdish Pradhan said that the Government has claimed that the education budget is a revolutionary budget but there was no discussion in the house about opening new schools even for a minute. There is lack of schools in the rural areas of Delhi and East Delhi touching the UP border and the children are compelled to join the schools in UP & Haryana.