Delhi BJP MLAs demand Question Hour during assembly session

New Delhi: Delhi BJP MLAs on Wednesday demanded that the Question Hour be included in the upcoming two-day session of the Assembly and said they will raise issues like Delhi Jal Board's Rs 73,000-crore debt, financial "irregularities" in the construction of 24 hospitals and fatalities in rain-related incidents.

Atishi, who was on Tuesday elected as leader of the AAP legislature party, is likely to prove the majority of her government during the session. She is expected to be sworn in as chief minister on September 21, sources said.

The BJP legislature party, led by Vijender Gupta, has resolved to push for the inclusion of Question Hour in the upcoming Delhi Assembly session scheduled for September 26-27, according to a statement issued by Gupta.

The decision was taken at a meeting attended by all seven BJP MLAs -- Mohan Singh Bisht, Om Prakash Sharma, Abhay Verma, Ajay Mahawar, Anil Bajpai, Jitendra Mahajan and Gupta. MLA Kartar Singh who recently switched from AAP to the BJP was also present in the meeting.

"The MLAs decided to meet the Speaker to press this demand," Gupta said.

Gupta said that the BJP intends to highlight and seek answers on several issues including the non-formation of the Sixth Delhi Finance Commission, the Delhi Jal Board's Rs 73,000-crore debt, financial "irregularities" in the construction of 24 hospitals, and "corruption" in educational institutions such as the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU).

Additionally, the party will raise the issue of funding for 12 Delhi University colleges, stopped by the Delhi government, he said.

The death of over 50 persons in rain-related incidents in the city this year, "frequent" fatalities due to poor condition of roads, and the "declining" public transport system will also be highlighted in the Assembly, he said.

Reacting to it, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP of making "baseless allegations" and "creating roadblocks" in the Delhi government's work for the people.

The AAP government allocated a budget of Rs 7,195 crore to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). However, throughout this entire financial year, only Rs 400 crore has been released by the "BJP-controlled bureaucracy" in an attempt to stall the city's progress, AAP alleged in a statement.

"The AAP too demands that the Sixth Finance Commission is set up at the earliest and hopes the LG will not delay its implementation any further," it added.