Congress cries ‘political vendetta’ over privileges panel notice

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav has hit out at the BJP and AAP over reports that the Privileges Committee of the Delhi Assembly has issued a notice to the Congress party, calling it a “joint conspiracy” to suppress the voice of the people.

Addressing media reports about the notice, Yadav alleged that it was an act of political retaliation triggered by Congress’s sharp criticism of alleged misuse of public funds and forced evictions of the poor.

Yadav reiterated that the Delhi Congress will not remain silent, despite pressure from the ruling parties. “We raised questions on slum demolitions, indiscriminate felling of trees and the grand royal construction of Rs 2.35 crore on a luxury toilet project ‘Shauchmahal’ at the Speaker Vijender Gupta’s official residence. Instead of responding to these questions, the rattled BJP has resorted to serving notices,” he said.

He pointed out the irony of lavish construction projects for MLAs while bulldozers raze the homes of the poor. “Public funds are being used for royal comforts, expensive gadgets and vanity projects — not for the welfare of the people,” he added.

Referring to the Privileges Committee, which reportedly includes members from BJP and AAP, Yadav said the notice appears politically motivated. “If building such a luxurious ‘Shauchmahal’ is not a crime, how can speaking against it be a crime? If speaking the truth is a sin, then Congress will commit it again and again, whatever may be the reaction of the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, who collude to suppress the voice of reason,” he declared.

Yadav questioned the leakage of the notice to the media before it reached the Congress. “When the notice has been issued by the Speaker, how did it get passed on to the media instead of meeting us first? Is it not a violation of the dignity of the Assembly and the office of the Speaker itself?” he asked.

He further stated that Congress’s statements were backed by documents available on the official Delhi Government website, and their efforts had already resulted in the cancellation of the controversial tender for CM Rekha Gupta’s proposed residence “Phool Kumari Niwas.”

Delhi