BJP demand’s speaker Goel’s resignation, AAP will challenge order

New Delhi:

New Delhi:

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday demanded the resignation of Delhi Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel after a Delhi court awarded a six-month jail term to him and his son in a trespassing case. The party also questioned chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged silence on the matter.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had always been claiming it has “honest politicians”. “Why is Kejriwal silent even after the conviction of a senior leader, who is occupying and important constitutional post? He should have taken action against him. This clearly shows tainted leaders have got the protection of Arvind Kejriwal,” Tiwari said.

Reacting to the BJP’s allegations, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai said the district court’s order would be challenged in the sessions court. “Whatever is the legal way to resolve this issue, that will be taken. The order will be challenged soon,” he said

Demanding Goel’s resignation, Vijender Gupta, leader of the opposition in Delhi Assembly, said it is for the first time a sitting Speaker has been convicted. Gupta said, “Goel must resign on moral grounds, as he has failed to maintain the dignity of his constitutional post. Kejriwal is equally responsible as he elevated an MLA charged for criminal offence to the post of a Speaker.”

With assembly elections just a few months away, BJP members said this was going to a big issue in the elections as Goel held an important post. Goel and his son, Sumit Goel, among others were awarded six months imprisonment for trespassing a house in East Delhi in 2015.

Tiwari alleged several leaders in AAP are facing criminal cases. “Kejriwal will have to tell the people of Delhi why there are a large number of leaders in AAP facing criminal cases. Can Delhi be safe when such leaders are in power? Today’s order exposed the real face of AAP MLAs.”

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