Delhi: Ruckus In Assembly As BJP And AAP Spar Over Leaking Of Budget Details

The Delhi Assembly was adjourned for two hours amid a ruckus between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP over a breach of privilege notice in connection with alleged leaking of budget details.

Image used for Representational Purpose only.

Source : PTI

The Delhi Assembly was adjourned for two hours on Tuesday amid a ruckus between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP over a breach of privilege notice in connection with alleged leaking of budget details, as reported by the news agency PTI. The House proceedings were adjourned once in the morning as well after AAP MLAs trooped into the Well following the conclusion of Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot's address over the stalling of the budget.

As the House reassembled, BJP MLA Vijender Gupta gave a notice for breach of privileges over the alleged leaking of budget details. To this, Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said, "As per rules, such a notice needs to be given three hours before. You are also saying that it should be taken up for discussion. It seems the aim is to create a ruckus and waste the time of the House," as quoted by PTI.

The speaker also issued a strict warning to Gupta. The notice given by him mentioned the leaking of details of the 'Outcome Budget', which was tabled in the Assembly on Monday. According to PTI, Dilip Pandey, AAP chief whip in the Delhi Assembly, said there was a mismatch in the content of Gupta's notice and what he said in the House, and suggested referring the matter to ethics committee.

Later, an uproar erupted over the issue with AAP and BJP MLAs indulging in a war of words, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

In a tweet, Gupta said, "I filed a notice against Breach of Privilege by FM Kailash Gahlot & Minister Gopal Rai, who leaked details of the Delhi budget. Instead of taking action, I was marshaled out. The Delhi govt is being ruled by anarchists who disregard the Indian Constitution & democracy." Later, addressing a press conference, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said they are demanding the resignation of the finance minister.

"When the Sheila Dikshit government was in power, then Finance minister Mahinder Singh Saathi was questioned by Speaker over announcing date of budget without approval of the Centre, and he had to tender an apology. Gahlot shared information with media regarding the budget and breached his oath of secrecy as a minister," Bidhuri said, as quoted by PTI.

In a statement issued on Monday amid a row over the stopping of the budget presentation, Gahlot had said that the total budget size was Rs 78,800 crore, out of which Rs 22,000 crore was earmarked for expenditure on infrastructure and just Rs 550 crore on advertisements, he said.

The allocation for advertisements was the same as in last year's budget, he added, PTI reported. His response came after sources in the MHA said the ministry has sought clarification from the AAP government as its budget proposal had high allocation for advertisement and relatively low funding for infrastructure and other development initiatives.

Amid the row between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Centre over the Delhi Budget, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said that MHA has conveyed its observations to Delhi Govt and is waiting for the reply since March 17, as reported by the news agency ANI. Thakur further said that it is wrong to blame the Central Government for something which is pending in the hands of Delhi Government.

Speaking to ANI, "Thakur said Delhi LG VK Saxena approved Annual Budget for 2023-24 with certain observations and sent the file to CM. Now Delhi Govt has sent the file to MHA for approval of President. MHA has conveyed its observations to Delhi Govt and is waiting for the reply since 17 March". It is wrong to blame the Central Government for something which is pending in the hands of Delhi Government, he added.

The state budget has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The approval has been conveyed to Delhi Government, as reported by ANI.

Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Tuesday said the budget file has been resent to the home ministry for approval, as reported by the news agency PTI.  Addressing the Delhi Assembly, Gahlot said the budget was stalled on Monday. He said the file has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs physically and through mail for approval.

The presentation of the Delhi government's budget for 2023-24, scheduled for Tuesday, was put on hold, with the Arvind Kejriwal-led dispensation and the central government trading charges over allocations in various heads. As the Delhi CM Kejriwal lashed out at the Centre, the MHA said the ministry has sought clarification from the AAP government as its budget proposal had high allocation for advertisement and relatively low funding for infrastructure and other development initiatives, PTI reported citing sources. 

The file, after addressing the MHA's concerns, was sent to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Monday night, who approved it and sent it back to the government. The government then sent it to the MHA. Talking about the issue in the Assembly, Gahlot said after the LG's approval, the file was sent to the finance secretary on Monday night.