Gupta questions assembly secy’s ‘absence’ before budget session

NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta on Tuesday questioned the “sudden and mysterious absence” of Delhi assembly secretary Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara from his office.

Gupta asked the government and the speaker of the Delhi Assembly to explain the absence just before the budget session, which begins on March 16.

In a written statement, Gupta said “the Assembly and the government have to do elaborate preparations for budget session and the assembly secretary plays an important role in it.

Responding to Gupta, speaker Ram Niwas Goel said the BJP should be concerned about the sealing drive, which was troubling traders, instead of the assembly secretary. “Due to the absence of the secretary (Suryadevara), no work of the assembly secretariat is getting affected. I cannot comment on the issue. I will clear the air over the matter by organising a press conference before the session,” Goel said.

Goel said Gupta’s press statement on the secretary amounted to “contempt of the Assembly” as only the speaker had the right to speak on the matter or take any decision involving the secretary.

Suryadevara, a newsreader- cum-translator (Telugu) cadre officer of All India Radio, was appointed to the post of Delhi assembly secretary in July 2015 for a year. In August 2016, then lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung had ordered the repatriation of the assembly secretary after a request from the Prasar Bharati.

Goel had refused to relieve the officer and later went to the HC. The matter is still being heard.

In the statement, Gupta said Suryadevara’s continuation in the assembly had become a bone of contention between the Centre, assembly speaker, Prasar Bharati and Jung. An official said Suryadevara has not been coming to office for 10 days.