Opposition leader Gupta stands up on desk in House after spat with Kejriwal

The Delhi assembly witnessed unprecedented scenes on Friday as leader of opposition Vijender Gupta climbed his desk, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party government of delaying probe in the alleged tanker scam.

The Delhi assembly witnessed unprecedented scenes on Friday as leader of opposition Vijender Gupta climbed his desk, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party government of delaying probe in the alleged tanker scam.

Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta in the Assembly in New Delhi on Friday.(PTI/TV grab)

Water minister Kapil Mishra had recommended action in the case last year.

Reacting to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s statement that if he gets the ACB, the Delhi government will complete the probe in a month -- both in the DJB scam and the pension scam allegedly involving his councillor wife Shobha Vijender -- Gupta stood on his desk and accused the government of compromising in a corruption case.

Kejriwal hit back and said his government was not in a position to investigate the issue as the Centre had taken over the ACB using “paramilitary forces”.

Kejriwal said he would complete the probes in a month if the ACB is handed back to the Delhi government.

“We have the strongest resolve against corruption, so much so that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared of it. So he sent paramilitary forces to the ACB and took over it on June 8 last year. Everyone knows the Congress and BJP has the relationship of a husband and wife,” Kejriwal said.

Read: Even Modi can’t build a balcony without bribing MCD officials, says Kejriwal

“I will give you the report of the Delhi Jal Board fact-finding committee tomorrow. You (Gupta) also give me facts about your wife’s role in the pension scam,” Kejriwal said.

An agitated Gupta stood up on his desk, accusing the AAP of “muzzling the opposition’s voice”.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel termed Gupta’s action as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘unparliamentary’, Gupta said he was forced to take the step as the treasury benches have been muzzling his voice.

“The government was not answering the question I raised. They have been sitting on the report according to which their own minister has recommended filing of FIR. Instead of coming clean on the issue, the ruling party legislators were calling names and my mike was shut. I had no other way to make my voice heard,” Gupta said.