No invite to L-G Anil Baijal, garbage crisis to rock 2-day session

New Delhi: Stormy scenes are expected at the two-day Winter Session of the Delhi Assembly starting on Tuesday, with the Aam Aadmi Party legislators raising several issues, including the functioning of the civic bodies, while the Opposition will seek to corner the government for not inviting newly-appointed lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal to address the House.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel slammed Opposition leader Vijender Gupta over the issue of invitation to the L-G claiming the BJP leader deliberately wants to stoke a controversy.

Though the government will not introduce any new bill during the Winter Session, the AAP MLAs are expected to raise local issues under Section 280 on floor of the House. They are also likely to raise the issue of sanitation workers’ strike due to non-payment of their salaries, demonetisation and other matters.

CM Arvind Kejriwal, who returned to Delhi on Monday after campaigning in poll-bound Punjab, may also attend the House proceeding. “The Business Advisory Committee of the Delhi Assembly has called a meeting tomorrow before the commencement of the House proceeding,” a senior official said.

In the meeting, the final agenda will be decided,” a senior official said, adding no new bill will be tabled.

The AAP legislators are generally seen on a collision course against the Centre during every sitting of the House over matters of jurisdiction and also the functioning of the BJP-ruled civic bodies.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta claimed that by not inviting the L-G to address the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, the AAP government is “dishonouring” his office. “Section 19 (1) of the Delhi Legislative Assembly Rules stipulates that at the commencement of the first session of each year, the L-G shall address the House. This rule is being honoured since the formation of the Delhi Assembly. But the present government has chosen to circumvent the rules,” Mr Gupta said in a statement.

Hitting out at the Opposition leader, Mr Goel said, “Mr Gupta wants to stoke controversy on every issue. This is not a new Session. This is just the next part of the ongoing session. In Budget session, we will definitely invite the L-G to address the House.”

The fifth part of the Assembly’s fourth session was held on November 15 last year where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had levelled serious allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The “emergency” session, convened to discuss demonetisation, had witnessed acrimonious scenes where Mr Gupta was marshalled out.