New Delhi: Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday suspended 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs till February 28 over ruckus in the Legislative Assembly.
The suspension reportedly happened in two parts with 12 MLAs getting suspended earlier in the day for sloganeering during Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s address and the remaining later as tabling of CAG reports added fuel to the fire.
Amanatullah Khan was the lone AAP MLA to escape the suspension since he was absent in the Assembly.
“They behaved in a very unconstitutional way during LG’s address. Maintaining the dignity of the House is most important…Their (AAP MLAs) behaviour is condemnable. The suspension is valid for three sittings – 25th, 27th and 28th February,” the Speaker told ANI.
The Assembly session has also been extended by two more days and will also be held on Friday and Monday.
“The CAG report has been tabled, and the members want to have a discussion on it, which will be continued on February 27, and then it will be referred to the public accounts committee for further action. The other volumes of the CAG report will also be tabled in the future…,” he added.
Following the suspension, the AAP lawmakers, including Leader of Opposition Atishi, held a protest on the assembly premises with Ambedkar portraits, raising slogans like, “Babasaheb ka ye apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan (India will not tolerate this insult to Babasaheb)” and “Jai Bhim”.
“”BJP has replaced the portrait of Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar with that of PM Narendra Modi…Does the BJP think that PM Modi is greater than Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar? When AAP MLAs raised the slogans of Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, they were suspended. But when BJP MLAs raised slogans of PM Modi, they did not say anything. This means that the BJP hates Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar…” Atishi said, vowing to continue protests until the portrait was restored.
Commenting on the AAP MLAs’ suspension, Delhi minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said, “This is not a protest. These AAP leaders are scared… They are trying to create unrest in the assembly instead of resigning. They are trying to hide something.”
Singh’s Cabinet colleague Ashish Sood alleged that AAP was attempting to divert attention from corruption during its term in office. “Whenever AAP tries to create a ruckus, it is to cover up its corruption. The CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) report will expose its wrongdoings.”
