‘Definition of luxury has changed’
8 Jun 2012 12:33 AM GMT
In a veiled criticism of Delhi government’s decision to increase the luxury tax, which could go up to 15 per cent, Delhi Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri on Thursday said that the ‘definition of luxury has changed’.
The speaker was addressing the media persons after the annual budget session was concluded on Wednesday.
When asked by the reporters to clarify further on the matter which has raised the ‘hackles’ on the Opposition on the floor of the House, the speaker refused to clarify any further saying it was all there in the Bill.
Taking his criticism further, the Speaker said the government was pushing through the Bills in a hurry, not allowing the assembly secretariat to whet the documents.
‘The rules demand that such bills should be given to assembly secretariat three days in advance, but in actual practice it was reaching us only a few hours before the commencement of the House,’ said Shastri.
When asked whether the Luxury Tax Bill was also submitted a few hours before the commencement of the House, the Speaker ‘glossed’ over the question.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had pushed through the Bill to raise the luxury tax amid strong protest by the Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP]-ruled Opposition on the last day of the Assembly.
Surprisingly, the move took even the treasury bench by surprise.
Terming the budget session of the House, which began on 28 May and concluded on Wednesday, as ‘successful’, Shastri said a total of seven bills were passed by the assembly while the Delhi Registration of Marriage Bill, 2012 was referred to the select committee. Dikshit had presented a Rs 33,436 crore budget on the very first day of the session. It was passed by the House on 4 June.
Shastri also demanded better security cover for all legislators in the city, saying police must provide them adequate protection.
‘The MLAs must be provided adequate security cover. Five MLAs had written seeking personal security officers and it has already been forwarded to Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna’, said Shastri.
On BJP’s allegations that he breached protocol by going to residence of Dikshit to attend a meeting, Shastri said he had only asked the chief minister to call the police commissioner to discuss the serious issue of security of MLAs. ‘To ensure security of the MLAs, I am ready to go anywhere. The issue is very important and the meeting was held at Dikshit’s residence as government offices were closed on Saturday,’ he explained.
Meanwhile, on BJP’s criticism that Speaker was too harsh on them during the Assembly session as they were expelled from the House for three days for creating ruckus, Shastri said he did his best to ensure smooth functioning of the House.
However, the speaker criticised the BJP for creating pandemonium in the House. Asked about the CAG report and why it was tabled on the last day of the Assembly, Shastri said it will be scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee of the House which will recommend appropriate action.
The speaker was addressing the media persons after the annual budget session was concluded on Wednesday.
When asked by the reporters to clarify further on the matter which has raised the ‘hackles’ on the Opposition on the floor of the House, the speaker refused to clarify any further saying it was all there in the Bill.
Taking his criticism further, the Speaker said the government was pushing through the Bills in a hurry, not allowing the assembly secretariat to whet the documents.
‘The rules demand that such bills should be given to assembly secretariat three days in advance, but in actual practice it was reaching us only a few hours before the commencement of the House,’ said Shastri.
When asked whether the Luxury Tax Bill was also submitted a few hours before the commencement of the House, the Speaker ‘glossed’ over the question.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had pushed through the Bill to raise the luxury tax amid strong protest by the Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP]-ruled Opposition on the last day of the Assembly.
Surprisingly, the move took even the treasury bench by surprise.
Terming the budget session of the House, which began on 28 May and concluded on Wednesday, as ‘successful’, Shastri said a total of seven bills were passed by the assembly while the Delhi Registration of Marriage Bill, 2012 was referred to the select committee. Dikshit had presented a Rs 33,436 crore budget on the very first day of the session. It was passed by the House on 4 June.
Shastri also demanded better security cover for all legislators in the city, saying police must provide them adequate protection.
‘The MLAs must be provided adequate security cover. Five MLAs had written seeking personal security officers and it has already been forwarded to Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna’, said Shastri.
On BJP’s allegations that he breached protocol by going to residence of Dikshit to attend a meeting, Shastri said he had only asked the chief minister to call the police commissioner to discuss the serious issue of security of MLAs. ‘To ensure security of the MLAs, I am ready to go anywhere. The issue is very important and the meeting was held at Dikshit’s residence as government offices were closed on Saturday,’ he explained.
Meanwhile, on BJP’s criticism that Speaker was too harsh on them during the Assembly session as they were expelled from the House for three days for creating ruckus, Shastri said he did his best to ensure smooth functioning of the House.
However, the speaker criticised the BJP for creating pandemonium in the House. Asked about the CAG report and why it was tabled on the last day of the Assembly, Shastri said it will be scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee of the House which will recommend appropriate action.
Next Story
