BJP MLAs Demand for DJB Irregularities Discussion Leads to Ouster from Delhi Assembly

In a recent turn of events within the Delhi Assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were escorted out by marshals following their insistence on discussing alleged irregularities in the operations of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The session, which initially focused on constituency-related issues, took a contentious turn as BJP legislators pressed for a debate on what they claim are significant discrepancies in the DJB's financial management.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, dismissing the opposition's request for discussion, prompted the BJP members to intensify their demands. This led to their eventual removal from the House. The ousted MLAs subsequently staged a protest near Mahatma Gandhi's statue within the Assembly premises, highlighting their concerns over what they describe as a substantial financial scandal overshadowing the DJB.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has been vocal about the alleged DJB scam, suggesting it surpasses even the notoriety of previous financial irregularities in Delhi. According to Sachdeva, there has been a glaring lack of accountability for an amount of Rs 28,400 crore over the last nine years. This claim is supported by information from the Delhi government's finance department presented to the Supreme Court.

The controversy deepens with accusations against Delhi's Water Minister Atishi for purportedly evading crucial questions regarding DJB's financial audits. Since 2016-17, there has been no audit of DJB's accounts, a fact that BJP leaders argue points to illegal financial practices within the department.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, further alleges that according to reports from the AAP government itself, the DJB has faced a staggering loss of Rs 73,000 crore. The absence of accountability for Rs 28,400 crore and misallocation of funds earmarked for DJB have been highlighted as pressing issues that merit immediate discussion.

In response to these allegations, the DJB issued a statement accusing the BJP of propagating rumors about a scam within its operations. The statement also called for the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to direct officials to release pending funds to DJB without delay. However, there has been no direct response from AAP leaders regarding these allegations.

This incident underscores ongoing tensions between BJP and AAP members within the Delhi Assembly and raises serious questions about financial management and transparency within key public departments like the DJB. As this political drama unfolds, it remains to be seen how these allegations will be addressed and what impact they may have on governance in Delhi.