CAG indictment of govt rocks Delhi Assembly

The severe indictment of the Delhi government in the report of the CAG rocked the Delhi Assembly on Monday, reports Amitabh Shukla.

The severe indictment of the Delhi government in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) rocked the Delhi Assembly on Monday. The opposition leveled charges of corruption and inefficiency against the government and demanded its dismissal.

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As soon as the Question Hour began, Leader of Opposition Jagdish Mukhi brought an adjournment motion seeking to suspend all business of the House to discuss the report. He referred to the last report of the CAG on power privatisation in which the government body had found severe irregularities in the entire process. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Delhi Assembly too had favoured a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities. "Why wasn't a CBI inquiry ordered into the deal?" asked Mukhi.

Delhi BJP President Harsh Vardhan said such a shameful episode had never taken place in Delhi when the CAG found severe lapses and still the government failed to act on it.

As the Opposition members were shouting hoarse on the issue, Speaker Chaudhary Prem Singh refused to permit the adjournment motion.

The real drama then started. Shouting slogans against the government, the BJP MLAs jumped into the Well of the House, one at a time. First it was Jai Bhagwan. The Speaker summoned the Marshals who moved him out of the House.

Soon Karan Singh Tanwar jumped into the Well and reached the Speaker's chair and began arguing. He too was physically removed. "The government has to reply why no action was taken in the last one year," said Mukhi. He too was removed. BJP Chief Whip SS Chauhan flashed the copies of the CAG report and said "these are the black deeds of this government". After his removal, it was the turn of HS Balli, Ramesh Bidhuri and Vijay Jolly. "The government has no moral authority to continue in office after the indictment by CAG and inaction on last year's report," said Jolly.

Asked about the CAG report in a press conference after the session, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said an Action Taken Report would be submitted to the Assembly later. But why was the government shying from handing over the probe to the CBI? "We have given our reply to the PAC," said Dikshit without elaborating further.