Cong, BJP to boycott Silver Jubilee fete of House

Advani expresses his inability to attend function

New Delhi: The Delhi units of Congress and BJP on Thursday decided to boycott the Silver Jubilee function of AAP-dominated Delhi Assembly, close on the heels of BJP veteran L K Advani expressing inability to attend the event.

The Delhi Assembly is holding the function to mark the 25th anniversary of its first sitting on December 14, 1993.

The party will boycott the function to be held on December 15, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said, adding that an all-party "celebration committee" should have been constituted to hold the function.

The BJP, which has four MLAs in the Delhi Assembly, will also boycott the function, said Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta.

Maken, who was the youngest MLA of the Delhi Assembly in 1993 and also the youngest Speaker of the House, alleged that politics has prevailed over institution-building and decency in the past four years in Delhi. Party sources claimed that Maken did not get any invite for the event.

"Sheila Dikshit ji, who was chief minister for 15 out of 25 years as member of the Delhi Assembly,

should have been called respectfully by the present Chief Minister or Speaker at least over the phone, if not personally.

The same should have been followed for all former Speakers and chief ministers," Maken said.

Gupta said the BJP MLAs in a meeting decided to boycott the function over
"disrespect" to democratic values and the Constitution.

"A resolution was passed at the meeting saying that the Kejriwal’s government, which threw democratic values, Constitution and Delhi Assembly rules to winds during the last four years, has no moral right to celebrate Silver Jubilee of the legislative body," he said.

Advani has already turned down invitation to be the chief guest at the function, citing personal reasons.