Delhi Assembly adjourned sine die amid protests by AAP, BJP MLAs over several issues

New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) The winter session of the Delhi Assembly was adjourned sine die on Thursday amid protests in the House by both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs over several issues.

However, before the final adjournment, the assembly session was adjourned many times because of protests by BJP legislators as they carried miniature ploughs in the assembly premises against the alleged 'anti-farmer' policies of the Arvind Kejriwal government.

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged that the government does not give enough compensation for land acquisition or a subsidy on agricultural equipment. "No hospitals and colleges were constructed or sewer lines laid in the villages of Delhi during the eight years of the AAP government," he claimed.

Meanwhile, the AAP MLAs also continued to attack Lt Governor VK Saxena over various issues. Soon after the House resumed proceedings, the AAP MLAs began sloganeering against the LG, leading to an adjournment by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel till 12 p.m.

The AAP MLAs demanded suspension of the Chief Secretary, Health Secretary, and Principal Secretary Finance for allegedly sabotaging the work of the Delhi government at the behest of the Lt Governor.

AAP senior leader and MLA Atishi claimed that the Lt Governor is impeding projects of Delhi's elected government by manipulating the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary Finance and the Health Secretary.

"Today we have gathered to protest outside the Vidhan Sabha as through the medium of IAS officers in Delhi, the LG is obstructing all the developmental work of the state government. He is doing this through the medium of the Principal Secretary (Finance), Principal Secretary (Health) and the Chief Secretary of Delhi", Atishi said.

She claimed that the salaries of the doctors and the medical staff of Mohalla Clinics have not been dispensed. The money that the state government gives to private agencies to conduct tests and provide medicines in the Mohalla Clinics have also not been dispensed. The drivers and the marshals of the DTC have not been given their salaries, the pensions of the employees of DTC have also not been provided. So, one by one, through the medium of these IAS officers, the developmental work of the Delhi government is being obstructed by the LG, Atishi said.

The MLAs camped under the Gandhi Statue in the Vidhan Sabha premises and raised slogans against the LG, accusing him of undermining the elected government and causing harm to the public.

MLA Dilip Pandey said, "We have said this inside the Vidhan Sabha and now we are repeating it outside as well. The LG has until now ignored all the work that he is constitutionally mandated to do, and has been indulging in those activities that he should not be getting into. He has been stopping files from reaching the designated departments."