New Delhi [India], February 25 : Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta expressed serious concerns on Tuesday over the delay in tabling the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, referencing strong remarks made by the High Court on the matter. Gupta noted, “It is shocking that the CAG report has not been presented in the Assembly since 2017-18. As the then Leader of Opposition, along with five other opposition leaders, I had requested the President, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary to present the report. It was crucial for understanding the financial condition of the state. Unfortunately, the report was not tabled, and the previous government violated the Constitution.”
Gupta further criticized the government, saying, “The High Court made extremely serious observations about the delay in presenting the CAG report. There was negligence in presenting it, and it was deliberately withheld. The report was not sent to the Lieutenant Governor on time.”
Gupta’s remarks come amid rising tensions in the Delhi Assembly, where the BJP has accused the AAP government of financial mismanagement. The situation escalated when Speaker Gupta suspended 12 AAP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Atishi and MLA Gopal Rai, after AAP MLAs disrupted proceedings by raising slogans as the Lieutenant Governor (LG) began his address. Before the speech, AAP members had also chanted “Jai Bhim” slogans.
Earlier, Delhi BJP leader and Minister Parvesh Verma commented, “The CAG report we have been waiting for is finally here. Today, we will reveal the extent of the Aam Aadmi Party’s corruption. The people of Delhi have been looted, and taxpayers have been taken advantage of. Once the report is out, I will provide all the details.” BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht accused the AAP government of misusing Delhi’s budget, while MLA Ravinder Singh Negi claimed that the report would serve as the basis for taking action against AAP leaders.
The newly formed BJP-led government in Delhi, under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is expected to present 14 CAG reports on the second day of the eighth legislative assembly. These reports are expected to highlight financial irregularities during the tenure of the previous AAP government.