NEW DELHI, July 6:
Congress today staged a protest here demanding immediate appointment of Lokayukta by AAP Government in Delhi and filed a complaint with the anti-graft ombudsmen seeking action against legislators of the ruling party, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Lokayukta post has been lying vacant since November 2013.
Congress also slammed AAP over its reported demand for referendum on full statehood for Delhi and challenged it to leave Government, saying it will show Arvind Kejriwal-led party how to run administration while staying within the existing Constitutional set up.
Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken asked why Kejriwal had not proposed referendum on issues of increasing salaries of MLAs and hiking budget for his publicity campaign.
“Unfortunately, the post of Lokayukta is lying vacant in Delhi since November 2013. And unfortunately for past five months, there is a government of that party which would talk about Janlokpal. Now they (Lokayukta and Lokpal) are nowhere in sight.
“Two sessions of assembly passed, but there is no trace of the Act. Last time, they (AAP) ran away in 49 days, saying they were not allowed to enact Janlokpal. Now 150 days have passed, where is the Lokpal? Old Lokayukta too is not appointed yet,” Ajay Maken told reporters here.
Maken also filed a petition against the ruling party MLAs before a vacant chair in a symbolic gesture during the protest and proceeded to make complaint against some AAP legislators in the office of Lokayuktar.
“We gave petition (to the vacant chair) in a symbolic manner. Kejriwal ji, you said lot of things about Lokpal and Lokayukta, but where are they?
“We are going to file petition in Lokayukta office against 28 MLAs including . We hope Lokayukta is appointed soon and a probe is carried out,” he said.
Asked about Kejriwal seeking referendum on statehood, Maken alleged that the AAP leader keeps looking for excuses to pick up fights. He suggested Kejriwal should “stop fighting and do something for Delhi’s people”.
“Kejriwal is talking about increasing salaries of his MLAs. Did he call for a referendum in that case? Did Kejriwal seek referendum for increasing budget for his publicity campaign from Rs 24 crore to Rs 526 crore? Did he seek referendum before recruiting AAP men on government posts? He wants referendum to pick up fights,” Maken said.
Scores of Congress workers participated in the protest rally. They burnt an effigy and shouted slogan against the ruling party.
Some of the protesters broke barricades, after which police used water cannon to disperse them.
Maken said Congress will step up its stir if the post of Lokayukta was not filled within a week and action on its complaint not taken.
When asked if Congress was opposed to full statehood for Delhi, the former Union Minister said that such a status is not offered on the basis of a referendum and Kejriwal was “fooling” the people.
“Statehood will come only after amending Constitution, power of which rests with Parliament. Why Kejriwal is fooling people? We demand Kejriwal should leave Government. We will run the government within this constitutional framework and do good work for Delhi people. For 15 years, we worked in Delhi Government, won three elections, delivered,” he said.
Congress’ national spokesperson PC Chacko said that Kejriwal made the demand for full statehood to divert attention of people from his failure to deliver on poll promises.
“He is only trying to divert attention of the people. He promised many things, he did not do anything. Hence all these things to divert attention. Half a dozen (AAP) MLAs are holding bogus degrees, “ he alleged
“Their Chief Minister’s monthly electricity bill is of Rs 1.36 lakh. Corruption is there, waste of money is there. So, we want Lokayukta. We will agitate until the Lokayukta is appointed,” Chacko said.
Delhi Congress chief spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee echoed similar views and said several cases have been reported against AAP MLAs including charges like fake degrees, domestic violence and nepotism “because the ruling party is appointing its own men on different Government posts”.
Congress slammed AAP for raising perks of Parliamentary Secretaries when sanitation workers are yet to get salary dues. (PTI)
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