The Delhi Assembly's Monsoon Session started on an aggressive note with the ruling AAP government falling into a war of words with the Opposition BJP over the Chandigarh stalking case when the latter raised a finger over the death of sanitation workers in the Capital.
The session opened with Speaker Ram Niwas Goel mentioning the Chandigarh stalking case where Haryana BJP president's son is an accused.
However, Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta objected to the subject and instead demanded a discussion on the recent incident of death of three manual scavengers death while cleaning a sewer in Lajpat Nagar.
Two other BJP leaders joined Gupta in the demand, even as Goel asked them to sit at their places. The Speaker also charged Gupta with 'disrespecting' women for "opposing condemnation" of the stalking incident.
Gupta, joined by three other party MLAs, came into the Well of the House, where the AAP MLAs followed suit and started shouting slogans. They were wearing badges in support of the woman who had resisted her stalkers in Chandigarh.
As the clash between the two parties continued, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia attempted to respond to Gupta over the death of sanitation workers. It was then that the House was adjourned for 15 minutes.
When the House met after the break, Sisodia, addressing the issue of scavengers, stated that there was a standing instruction that sewage should be cleaned mechanically, but that the contractor had allowed manual cleaning of the sewers.
"The government has announced Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of sanitation workers who had died while cleaning the sewer. A probe is on. If anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken," said Sisodia.
Meanwhile, the House was adjourned again for half an hour as the legislators stayed in the Well despite the Speaker asking them to go back to their seats.
Speaking later on the sanitation workers death, Water Minister Rajender Pal Gautam told the House the government was framing new parameters so that there is no such incident in future."Under new parameters (to clean sewer), the responsibility of officers concerned, contractors will be fixed," he said.
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