Delhi assembly: 21 AAP MLAs marshaled out, suspended for 3 days over protests

AAP MLAs launched a protest in the Delhi Assembly while lieutenant governor VK Saxena was addressing the House

New Delhi: Twenty-one Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, including leader of opposition Atishi and senior leader Gopal Rai, were marshaled out and suspended for three days as they launched a protest in the Delhi Assembly while lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena was addressing the House on Tuesday morning.

Leader of Opposition Atishi and other AAP MLAs stage a protest alleging removal of BR Ambedkar's potraits from CM office, during the first session of the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday. (PTI)

Speaker Vijender Gupta ordered the marshals to escort the protesting MLAs out of the House as they raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government alleging that the pictures of national icons BR Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh were removed from the office of chief minister. AAP alleged that the BJP government is “anti-Dalit.”

Chief minister Rekha Gupta refuted the claims of the AAP leaders saying that the pictures of the national icons were still present in the CM’s office chamber. BJP Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said the AAP leaders were “spreading lies”.

The suspension of the 21 AAP MLAs will be in force from February 25 to 28, and they can participate in the House proceedings on March 3. AAP has 22 MLAs in the Delhi Assembly. One MLA, Amanatullah Khan of Okhla, was not present in the House on Tuesday.

The session of the Delhi Assembly has been extended till March 3 as more CAG reports are likely to be tabled in the House and discussions on them taken up, according to Assembly officials.

CM Rekha Gupta on Monday said it was the tactics of the AAP to hide their corruption behind Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh. “This are their tactics to hide their corruption and wrongdoings behind Babasahab Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh. You are inside this chamber, should the pictures of the head of the government not be put up? Should the photo of the President of the country not be put up? Should the photo of Father of the Nation Gandhi ji not be put up? Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb are respectable personalities of the country, revered, and our guide. So, this room is of the CM of Delhi and as the head of the Delhi government, I have given them the space. It is not my work to answer their remarks, I am answerable to the people and will answer for them,” she told media persons in her office in Delhi Assembly after the row broke out.