Delhi Minister Sirsa asks AAP MLAs to move away from political theatrics

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) On the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Delhi Assembly, Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday appealed to the Aam Aadmi Party members to move away from political theatrics, baseless allegations and disruptive politics, and instead engage in meaningful debate on issues of public interest. 

He said that the Legislative Assembly is the highest forum of democracy, where matters concerning the aspirations of the people, development, and accountability should be discussed in a serious and constructive manner. 

Sirsa said that the Opposition has been completely rattled since the implementation of the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana.

He stated that this historic scheme, launched to promote the dignity and economic empowerment of women, has received overwhelming public support, leaving the Opposition with no positive political issue to raise.

He alleged that in an attempt to divert public attention, the AAP has resorted to false allegations, misleading propaganda, and unnecessary disruptions both inside and outside the Assembly.

He said that the AAP has been making allegations regarding the so-called "bicycle scam" and "health scam," but has failed to produce even a single credible document or piece of evidence to substantiate these claims.

He added that those who governed Delhi for years are now unwilling to acknowledge developmental work and are instead trying to spread confusion.

He noted that the Delhi government had undertaken extensive preparations before the monsoon, resulting in significant improvement this year even at places like Minto Bridge, which had long become synonymous with waterlogging.

The Minister said that the Delhi government has fulfilled its promise to women by taking the historic decision to provide eligible women with financial assistance of Rs 2,500 under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana.

Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and the entire Delhi government on this achievement, he said that the scheme is not merely financial assistance but a transformative step towards ensuring women's dignity, security, self-reliance, and social empowerment.

Sirsa also praised the Delhi government's historic decisions in the field of education. He said that nearly 325,000 students pass the Class XII examination in Delhi every year, while only around 150,000 seats are available in regular undergraduate programmes.

For several years, this significant gap has caused hardship to thousands of students and their families, forcing a large number of students to pursue higher education outside Delhi.

Congratulating Chief Minister Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood, he said that the Delhi Cabinet's approval of the Delhi Private Universities Bill, 2026 marks a historic milestone in the capital's higher education landscape.

This decision will pave the way for the establishment of new private universities in Delhi, significantly increase the number of higher education seats, and provide lakhs of students with access to quality higher education aligned with their aspirations, abilities, and interests, he said.

It will reduce the need for students to leave Delhi in search of educational opportunities while enabling them to benefit from world-class academic institutions within the capital itself, he said.

--IANS

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