New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The Delhi assembly Thursday postponed a discussion on law and order to Monday following protest by members from both treasury and opposition benches over the failure of Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal to be present in the house.
As the ruling and opposition members joined the chorus, Speaker Yoganand Shastri adjourned the house for 30 minutes first, and later for the day as Dadwal failed to turn up.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit later told reporters that the police chief was informed of the discussion on law and order some days back.
The house, as per the speaker’s decision, will now discuss the issue Monday at 11 a.m.
Earlier, when the house reconvened after the break, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jagdish Mukhi said there could be no discussion on law and order without the police chief’s presence.
He was supported by Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who said it would be a contempt of the house if the police chief is not present during discussion on a matter which is ‘a serious issue’.
Another BJP member Sahib Singh Chauhan said the police commissioner should be present in person as he only deals with law and order and the matter does not come under the chief minister.
‘His absence shows that he doesn’t consider the chief minister seriously,’ he alleged.
Shastri said the police chief has deputed his junior for discussion, but the opposition members continued their protest.
As Congress members also joined the BJP in demanding the commissioner’s presence, the speaker adjourned the house.
When the assembly met again after the adjournment, Congress members joined the protest saying the police commissioner was not above the people of the state and he should have been present in person as he was informed of the discussion much earlier.
Congress’ Anil Bhardwaj said he supported the BJP in asking for the presence of the top cop.
BJP leader Harsh Vardhan also criticized Dadwal.
Meanwhile, sources said that when Dadwal was asked to be present in the assembly for the discussion, he had said he would be coming but later he called up to say he was not well.
Now the matter will be discussed Aug 23, on the last day of the assembly.
