The Delhi Assembly on Tuesday debated a no-confidence motion moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government.
Taking a swipe at the government's flagship project —the Commonwealth Games —Leader of Opposition in the House, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, said the government claimed to be spending Rs 15,000 crore, but hardly anything was being spent on developing unauthorised colonies.
“Not a paise of this would be spent on developing unauthorised colonies. They are getting bamboo for screening the slums — will this hide Delhi's slums?”
Malhotra said the government hoped to raise Rs 500 crore from VAT rate increase and Rs 200 crore from increased water charges on two crore people. But the same amount would be spent on beautifying Connaught Place.
“Why raise charges on all Delhiites and spend it on one place?” asked Malhotra. He added that the government failed to clean the Yamuna despite spending crores.
Former Delhi state BJP president Harsh Vardhan said the government was raising charges despite claiming it was bringing in technologies that reduced costs.
“Transport minister AS Lovely told the media yesterday that the new buses were cheaper – operating them cost 49 paise per km, compared to 62 paise per km for older buses. Why should they raise DTC fare when expenses have gone down?”
The debate soon turned into a war of words with Dikshit telling Harsh Vardhan to “sleep less and pay more attention in the House” when the latter was reacting to a statement made by MLA Mukesh Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}The debate soon turned into a war of words with Dikshit telling Harsh Vardhan to “sleep less and pay more attention in the House” when the latter was reacting to a statement made by MLA Mukesh Sharma.
{{/usCountry}}Rape was also politicised. Congress MLA Ramakant Goswami hit back at Harsh Vardhan who had spoken of rising incidence of rapes in the city, by recounting a rape case that had taken place when the latter was a Delhi minister.
Dikshit will reply to the debate on Wednesday.