New Delhi: The first day of the assembly’s monsoon session witnessed a political slugfest Friday, with AAP seeking a debate on an alleged Rs 650-crore health scam and also protesting over it. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Harish Khurana sought a crackdown on small hotels allegedly operating illegally in residential areas.The chief whip of opposition AAP, Sanjeev Jha, said five party MLAs were marshalled out after they demanded a discussion on the “Rs 650-crore health scam” regarding the procurement of medicines and medical equipment. “BJP govt refused to allow a debate on the issue and was evading accountability by convening two consecutive assembly sessions without Question Hour,” Jha said. “Govt is neither allowing Question Hour nor permitting a discussion on this issue. Instead, we were marshalled out merely for standing up and making this demand,” he alleged.AAP MLAs protested on the assembly premises and demanded the health minister’s resignation.Minister Parvesh Verma said the opposition had a problem because BJP govt had initiated the process of giving Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to women. “In five years (during AAP govt), 74 sittings of the assembly were held, but Question Hour was there only during nine of them. In 2024, there was not a single Question Hour,” Verma claimed.In the meantime, Khurana said many small hotels were functioning without licences and in violation of building bye-laws, master plan and fire safety norms. Raising the issue during a special mention under Rule 280, the Moti Nagar MLA said such establishments were posing risks to residents’ safety, particularly women and children, besides affecting law and order, parking, sanitation and the peace of residential colonies.He urged govt to conduct a joint enforcement drive and direct district magistrates to identify and act against such violators.Hitting out at AAP over the absence of leader of the opposition Atishi and senior MLA Gopal Rai at the sitting, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “The absence of Atishi and Gopal Rai shows AAP’s seriousness towards constitutional institutions and democratic processes. It is unfortunate that Atishi, who enjoys the privileges provided through the taxpayers’ money, is occupied with welcoming Arvind Kejriwal in Goa, while Rai has spent months campaigning in Gujarat.”No response was available from AAP despite TOI reaching out to it.
