Manish Tiwari, shoes in hand, leaves his house to attend the parliament.
New Delhi:
The first wave of monsoon in Delhi early on Friday flooded the city’s posher areas, including Lutyens’ Delhi, where several ministers and MPs live, making it difficult for them to reach Parliament for the 18th Lok Sabha session.
From facing the flood situation with their trousers rolled up and carrying their shoes in their hands to being carried in the arms of their assistants, political figures opted for different and peculiar ways to reach Parliament.
Commenting on the situation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said he “would not be able to reach Parliament without a boat”.
Sharing images of waist-deep waterlogging outside his residence, the minister wrote on .Rugs and furniture, in fact, anything on the floor, ruined.
“Apparently, the storm drains in the neighborhood are all blocked, so the water has nowhere to go. In addition, they cut off the electricity from six in the morning for fear of electrocuting people. I warned my colleagues in the Parliament of I couldn’t get there without a boat, but the city managed to get the water out of the streets and I arrived in time,” he said.
In another post where he shared a video of a road towards AIIMS where cars were seen completely submerged in water and trucks and buses barely visible, he wrote, “Now on my way to the airport to fly to my constituency for the weekend as this was our usual route, which we avoided today.” Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena took stock of the situation and assured that prompt steps be taken to address the issue, Tharoor said.
I am now on my way to the airport to fly to my constituency for the weekend as usual. This was our usual route, which we avoided today! image.twitter.com/2XpdRfSBdK
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 28, 2024
“I am amazed and impressed that this tweet provoked, within minutes, a phone call from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi himself. VK Saxena was courteous and responsive and explained the limitations to effective action arising from the division of responsibilities between the governments of the Union and state governments.
“He understands that the main problem lies in the lack of regular clearing of clogged drains and has pledged to do everything in his power to ensure this is done before the next major rain. Congratulations to a conscientious official,” wrote.
I was surprised and impressed that this tweet provoked, within minutes, a phone call from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi himself! Mr. VK Saxena was courteous and attentive and explained the limitations to effective action arising from the division of responsibilities between the Union and… https://t.co/GdaDTwEkxJ
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 28, 2024
Chandigarh Congress MP Manish Tiwari posted a video while addressing Parliament. He is seen with his shoes in his hands and his pants rolled up as he walks through the water accumulated inside his residence.
“On my way to Parliament in the morning,” he captioned the video.
On the way to Parliament in the morning image.twitter.com/MtjSl3LUzs
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) June 28, 2024
In a photo shared on social media, the lawn of his residence can be seen turned into a swimming pool due to heavy rains.
Rainwater also accumulated inside Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramgopal Yadav’s residence at Lodhi Estate. The MP, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, had to be carried with the help of two people to his car to help him leave for a meeting.
AAP leader and Delhi water minister Atishi’s residence on Mathura road was also flooded following heavy rains that lashed Delhi in the early hours of the day.
On Friday, a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s speech for both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha was scheduled.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)