CM dubs bandh a failure, BJP MLAs create ruckus

NEW DELHI: The reverberations of the BJP’s call for a Delhi bandh were felt in the assembly with opposition benches raising slogans, MLAs moving into the well to prevent the house from functioning in protest against the petrol price hike and proposal to impose VAT on CNG.
After two adjournments for disrupting the house proceedings, the speaker directed BJP MLAs to be marshaled out of the House and suspended them from participating in the proceedings for three days.Chief minister Sheila Dikshit said the bandh was a ‘total flop’.
After BJP MLAs were removed from the House, Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma moved a proposal for a discussion on how BJP’s call for Bharat bandh “resulted in a lot of inconvenience to people and loss to government and as well as traders across the country”.
Congress MLAs decried the BJP move claiming that the bandh was ineffective. Ironically, the same MLAs assailed BJP for forcing people to shut shops and blocking traffic.
Launching a broadside on BJP, Dikshit termed the bandh a ‘total failure’ in Delhi and accused the party of blocking roads and creating inconvenience to people.
“I thank the people of Delhi for not supporting the bandh. I spoke to senior police officials and they said only minor incidents had taken place,” Dikshit said in the Assembly.
Taking potshots at BJP legislators, Dikshit said the BJP leaders were insensitive. “They came in air-conditioned cars to the house but their workers were out in the heat on a day when the temperature was around 45 degrees to ensure the bandh was successful,” she said.
She said all the major markets were open and the bandh failed to have an impact. “They (BJP) should first practice what they preach,” Dikshit said. Congress MLAs adopted a resolution decrying the BJP bandh as a failure.
On the other hand the state BJP leadership said the CM’s remarks reflected the discomfiture of Congress.
“If the bandh was not effective why would the Congress discuss the issue for an hour in the assembly. The discussion reflects that the party is worried and was affected by the bandh,” BJP state president Vijender Gupta said. “People supported the bandh and the effectiveness of the bandh reflects public anger against Congress that is not just limited to petrol hike. VAT on CNG has added to the discontent,” he added.