RS adjourned twice amid protests over bill to give more power to Delhi L-G

Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments on Tuesday as opposition Congress and AAP members protested against a bill that proposes to give more power to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) in Delhi.

The uproar in the Upper House started when Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh asked Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy to move a motion for the consideration of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment ) Bill 2021.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Sanjay Singh protested against allowing the motion, saying his notice has been pending in the House.

The Deputy Chairman assured the AAP member that his notice would be considered after the motion is moved, but Singh called it "unconstitutional".

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said that the bill is dangerous and it will grab rights of the elected government of Delhi and destroy democracy.

He alleged that the government wants the L-G as government and the elected dispensation as his servant.

The deputy chairman adjourned the House till 5.24 PM. As the House reassembled, the protest by opposition members continued, prompting the chair to adjourn the House for a second time till 5.40 PM.

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday, seeks to make it clear that the "government" in Delhi means the "Lieutenant Governor".

The bill also makes it mandatory for the Delhi government to take the opinion of the L-G before any executive action.

The AAP is in power in Delhi.