On a day the AAP blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the President rejecting a bill on Parliamentary Secretaries, the BJP on Tuesday said the appointment of 21 Parliamentary Secretaries in Delhi is “illegal” and urged the EC to take a decision on the matter at the earliest. “Our notification says that they are not entitled to any remuneration, perks, facilities or services from the government”, Mr. Kejriwal told reporters. The Congress party said that Kejriwal unconstitutionally appointed 21 Parliamentary Secretaries whom he though may defect and join hands with Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan crating troubles for the party. Patting his own back, Kejriwal said the Delhi government was doing the best work in the country and its schemes and policies were being appreciated and discussed the world over.
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“When Sahib Singh Verma ji was the chief minister, he appointed Nand Kishore Garg, the then MLA from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), his Parliamentary Secretary on May 7, 1997”. Those in Punjab get Rs 1 lakh per month, auto and bungalow as well. That’s why Te Arvind Kejriwal are decided o use the Chief-Minister power to creating this bill and forwarding for the approval of this bill by the President Pranab Mukherjee.
The fate of the 21 MLAs appointed as parliamentary secretaries is in the balance after the bill shielding the MLAs from disqualification was returned unsigned by the President on Monday.
“It is determined by perks, which undoubtedly these 21 MLAs were enjoying under Kejriwal s Government and at the cost of the Delhi tax-payer”, it said in the commentary titled “Kejriwal has the “Office”, AAP MLAs enjoy the “Profits”.
Rai had requested Kejriwal to relieve him from the responsibility of the Transport Department after a major surgery, following which he is undergoing physiotherapy.
It also contends that along with seven ministers in Kejriwal’s Cabinet, these 21 people with minister status exceed that limit.
Petitions have been filed with the President seeking disqualification of these MLAs on the ground that they occupied office of profit violating constitutional provisions. Now the Election Commission, acting as a quasi judicial body to whom the President referred the issue has sought replies of the MLAs.
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Meanwhile, Delhi BJP general secretary Ashish Sood attacked Mr. Kejriwal for his comments against L-G Najeeb Jung. “Looking at their desires for free benefits and the corruption in Government, Aam Aadmi Party should rename itself as “Khaas Admi Party”!”, he said. The AAP has 67 MLAs in the 70-member assembly.
