Following a poor response from Parliamentarians for two straight days, the Delhi Government on Wednesday scrapped the ‘MP Special’ bus service for the MPs provided in view of the odd-even scheme. This prompted the lok Sabha secretariat to assert it was ‘competent enough’ to take care of the lawmakers.
At a hurriedly called Press conference, Secretary in lok Sabha Secretariat D Bhalla also reminded the Delhi Government that Parliament was “paying” for the bus service provided by Delhi Government. The Parliament was paying Rs12,000 for each of the six buses per day.
“We had not made any request to them (AAP Government) to provide any such help. It was their offer. This is ridiculous to say that they have been doing this or that for the MPs. We do not need any mercy. And the bus service provided by the Delhi Government was not free of cost. Parliament Secretariat was supposed to pay Rs12,000 per day for each bus. Since it was not used, we said no to them,” Bhalla said.
Wondering whether the members do not deserve exemption from the Odd Even Scheme, Bhalla further said, “Is the act of MPs coming to Parliament to discuss bills not importantIJ Whether MPs come to attend Parliament or standing Committees, they come here to take decisions related to people of the country, which includes the people of Delhi.”
At the same time, Bhalla said, “We, however, leave it to the sagacity of Delhi Government. We are not angry with Delhi Government. Did any MP say that he was against the Odd EvenIJWe welcome the Odd Even Scheme.”
Six Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses were converted to MP Specials to ferry MPs in view of odd even restrictions in the wake of the current session of Parliament beginning Monday.
The Delhi Government, however, scrapped the bus service owing to the poor response from the MPs. When the House had begun on Monday, the MPs in Parliament had attacked the Delhi Government on Odd Even Scheme and not being exempted from it and had demanded that the number of passes issues to them should be increased from one to two.