Ruckus in House, MLAs suspended

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were suspended for three days following disruptions in the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly on Thursday.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs were suspended for three days following disruptions in the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly on Thursday.

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The MLAs were shouting slogans and demanding that the assembly should stop functioning since life in the Capital had also come to a halt due to a bandh they had called.

The nationwide bandh was against the hike in petrol prices and 5% VAT on CNG imposed by the Delhi government.

Shouting slogans, the legislators trooped into the well of the House and Speaker Yoganand Shastri adjourned the House for 30 minutes as the din continued.

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit termed the bandh called by BJP "a total failure" and said BJP supporters had forcibly blocked roads in certain areas.

"It was a total failure. I thank the people of Delhi for not supporting the bandh. I spoke to senior police officials and they said only minor incidents have taken place," said Dikshit

Taking pot shots at the BJP MLAs, Dikshit said BJP leaders came in air-conditioned cars but their supporters were made to toil in Delhi's searing heat to ensure that the bandh is successful.

"The bandh resulted in lot of inconvenience to people and loss to government and as well as traders across the country," said congress MLA Mukesh Sharma, who moved a proposal criticising the party for giving a call for Bharat Bandh.