Opposition not serious for discussion of issues: Prem Singh

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) A day after Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit blamed the Opposition for lack of discussion on crucial issues in the State Legislative Assembly during the just concluded Budget session, Assembly Speaker Prem Singh today said the Opposition BJP was not serious in ensuring discussion on important issues.

''If the BJP was serious, then they would not have created such a furore over a History book and instead ensured that issues of crucial importance were discussed in the House,''Chaudhry Prem Singh said in a press conference after the conclusion of the 19 day Budget session.

It is notable that Opposition furore in the House on March 27 over their demand for withdrawal of the History book 'Culture in india-Ancient' from the syllabus of BA (Hons) IInd year in Delhi University led to suspension of 17 BJP MLAs from the House for three days.

Expressing sadness on the unprecedented development of the House being adjourned on April 1 without transacting any business due to lack of quorum, the Speaker said,''I have never seen such a state of affairs in my entire political life.

I wish to convey to the members that the House is supreme and there is a provision of rigorous punishment to the members who do not respect the dignity of the House.'' Putting the onus of the April 1 adjournment as much on the opposition as on the ruling party, Ch Prem Singh said, ''both the ruling Congress as well as the Opposition are equally to blame for the unprecedented happening of April 1. The onus of ensuring the quorum is as much on the ruling party as on the opposition to enable discussion of important issues in the House.'' In this context, the Speaker said the members who absented themselves from the sitting of the House would not get the daily MLA allowance for attending the assembly proceedings for that day.

Describing the session as a very important one, Ch Prem Singh said, several vital issues were taken up for discussion. Debate was held on the Motion of thanks for Lt Governor's address, Budget was presented and passed.

Five Bills were passed, of which three - Appropriation (No 1) Bill, 2008, Appropriation (No 2) Bill 2008 and Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2008 - were introduced in this session while two, Delhi Defacement of Property Prevention Bill, 2007 and the IIIT Delhi Bill, 2007 were introduced in the Winter session.

''During this session, eleven reports of various House committees were presented in the House which is an all time record for this Assembly since its inception in 1993,'' the Speaker said.

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