Bedlam in Delhi Assembly, outside over demolition issue

New Delhi, Mar 1 (UNI) The budget session of Delhi Assembly began on a raucous note today with slogan-shouting opposition BJP members staging a protest in the well of the House and disrupting Lieutenant Governor B L Joshi's 40-minute speech.

Bedlam followed as soon as the Lt Governor began his speech with BJP members demanding Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's resignation over the issue of demolition of illegal properties in the capital.

The Congress-led government failed to stop the MCD drive though it is in power both in Delhi as well as at the Centre, the BJP members said.

The Opposition will bring an adjournment motion in the House tomorrow on the issue.

In his speech, the Lt Governor touched on the issue, saying an ''abiding solution would lie in the quick finalisation of the new Master Plan for Delhi''.

The Government is trying to resolve the issue taking into account the ''urban planning process, the rural profile and other ground realities of Delhi'', he said, adding that there was also need to grant full statehood to Delhi for swift resolution of the matter.

Outside the Assembly, a contingent of BJP workers clashed with police as they were stopped from marching towards the House to protest the demolition drive. Police lobbed teargas shells and used water canons to disperse the crowd.

UNI VN PK DS1540