New Delhi: Twenty one Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, who were recently appointed as parliamentary secretaries by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to all the ministers for government's smooth funcationing, will soon be provided office space for their work in Delhi Assembly.
Announcing the decision here, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said that from May 1, parliamentary secretaries will have an office so that they could meet people and hear their problems there.
While appointing these party MLAs as parliamentary secretaries in March, AAP government said they would not receive any remuneration or perks of any kind from the government -- meaning no burden on exchequer.
They, however, may use government transport for official purposes and space in the minister's office would be provided to them to facilitate their work.
"In the Assembly, people can meet parliamentary secretaries regarding their problems. 14 rooms were also lying vacant for several years in the the Assembly premises.
"I have decided to provide office space for 21 parliamentary secretaries so that they could serve the people from here," Goel said .
He also said that BJP demanded Leader of Opposition post in the Assembly
after which its leader Vijender Gupta was recognised by him as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. He said that BJP-led Central government should take a cue from Aam Aadmi Party government.
"I didn't have any problem to give LoP post to BJP, but they should have followed the rule. In April, all three BJP MLAs met him and demanded LoP. On April 13, they wrote a letter, demanding the same," Goel said.
Gupta, however, claimed that he and his party members never demanded the LoP and as per rule, it was their right.
The Delhi Assembly speaker also said that Centre should also give the post of LoP to Opposition in the Lok Sabha so that they could raise the voice of people there.
"Opposition is like the pillar of any democratic country...I demand that Prime Minister should give LoP post to Opposition in Lok Sabha so that they could raise the voice of people there," he said.
