Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Delhi assembly on Friday as, in a reversal of roles, MLAs from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party rushed to the well of the House, carrying placards and raising slogans, accusing the BJP-ruled municipal corporations in the capital of being involved in a Rs 2,500-crore scam and demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged corruption.
The placards as also a huge banner that was rolled down by MLAs standing in the galleries above the assembly hall read: “The BJP is guilty of a scam of Rs 2,500 crore. Send the BJP leaders to jail.”
Speaker Ram Niwas Goel adjourned the House for 15 minutes as the AAP MLAs carried on with their protest in the well of the House and refused to return to their seats.
The AAP's political opponents criticised the party for turning the assembly into a protest site despite its brute majority in the House. The party has 62 seats in the 70-member assembly. The BJP has eight members.
Outside the assembly, BJP leaders and workers held a demonstration, saying they will continue their protest against the Kejriwal government till it releases funds for the cash-strapped municipal corporations.
The AAP and the BJP are locked in a fierce fight over funds for the MCD. While the BJP has accused the Kejriwal government of withholding funds for the municipal corporations, saying it has resulted in non-payment of salaries to doctors and other healthcare staff, teachers and sanitation workers. MCD councillors have been holding a sit-in in front of Kejriwal's residence, and BJP's MPs in Delhi have also joined the agitation.
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On the other hand, the AAP upped the ante on the issue, with its MLAs attempting to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lt Governor Anil Baijal recently to demand a CBI inquiry into the alleged scam. Prominent AAP MLAs like Atishi and Raghav Chadha were detained by police as they tried to head towards the LG House and the Home Minister's residence, respectively, to try and meet them.
Friday was the second day of the special assembly session. On Thursday too, the House had witnessed dramatic scenes, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tearing copies of the three farm laws to register his protest against the contentious legislations.