1st day of Parl session: Paresh Rawal, others flout odd-even

On the first day of Parliament’s summer session, despite a provision in place to ferry MPs due to the on-going odd-even scheme, there were very few takers and several flouters. It seems that the BJP and Congress are still reeling under the habit of opposing anything that comes from any other party, even if that is good for the citizens.

BJP Lok Sabha MP Paresh Rawal was among the forerunners in flouting the odd-even scheme who later apologised to Arvind Kejriwal and Delhiites for violating the rule. He also went to the nearby Parliament Street police station and deposited Rs 2,000 fine.

“Made a serious blunder... Sorry to Arvind ji and Delhiites,” the Bharatiya Janata Party MP tweeted, after he was fined over breaking the rule. The confirmation of his paying was done by Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sharad Aggarwal who said: “Paresh Rawal paid the challan in cash when he was caught at the Parliament Street circle.”

Rawal travelled to parliament in his personal car with an even number plate but Monday being an odd number date, vehicles only with odd number plates were allowed to ply on the roads in the national capital.

Apart from Paresh Rawal, several other MPs also flouted the rule. Among the flouters were BJP MPs Prahlad Singh Patel and Ashwani Kumar and Congress MP Kamal Nath.

While on one side there were MPs who flouted the rule, there were takers too. BJP MP Anil Madhav Dave came on bicycle but there were few who availed the MP special bus run by the Delhi government.

In view of the Parliament Session, the Delhi government had on Sunday announced six air-conditioned special buses to ferry MPs and appealed to them to follow the odd-even scheme.

In the morning, BJP MPs Ranjan Bhatt and Hari Om Singh Rathore availed the ‘MP Special Bus Service’ to reach Parliament and so did AAP MP Bhagwat Mann.

The President, The Prime Minister, The Vice-President, union ministers, the Chief Justice of India, judges of high courts, women among others are exempted under the odd-even scheme.