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Atishi to Delhi assembly speaker on suspension of 21 AAP MLAs: ‘Injustice to opposition’
On Tuesday, 21 AAP MLAs, including Atishi, were suspended for disrupting the LG's inaugural address to the newly constituted Delhi assembly.
Delhi assembly leader of opposition Atishi on Friday wrote to speaker Vijender Gupta, calling the suspension of 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs an “injustice to opposition”.
"I am writing this letter with great pain and sorrow. The biggest strength of democracy is its fairness and equality. But whatever happened in the Delhi Assembly in the past few days is not only an injustice to the opposition MLAs but also a severe blow to democratic values," ANI quoted Atishi's letter.
She further alleged that "no action" was taken against any MLA from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"On 25 February 2025, during the address of Lt Governor, MLAs of the ruling party raised slogans of 'Modi-Modi,' while the opposition MLAs raised slogans of 'Jai Bhim,' respecting the views of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. It is very unfortunate that no action was taken against any MLA of the ruling party, but 21 MLAs of the opposition were suspended from the House for 3 days for raising the slogan 'Jai Bhim'," the former Delhi chief minister claimed.
Atishi further said that the "injustice did not stop" here, adding,"Yesterday when the suspended MLAs were going to protest peacefully in front of the statue of Gandhiji present in the assembly premises in a democratic way, they were stopped 200 meters before the gate of the assembly and were prevented from entering the assembly premises."
Atishi said that this is an "insult" not only to the MLAs but also to the mandate given by the people.
"You are the guardian of this assembly. It is the duty of the guardian to do equal justice to all the MLAs, whether they are from the ruling party or the opposition. I urge you to protect the democratic values and ensure that no MLA is deprived of his constitutional rights," she added.
21 AAP MLAs suspended
On Tuesday, 21 AAP MLAs, including Atishi, were suspended for disrupting LG's inaugural address by raising slogans against the alleged removal of portraits of B R Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh from Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's office in the assembly.
Atishi has also written to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking an appointment to discuss what she described as the "murder of democracy" in Delhi. She accused the BJP of "crossing all limits of dictatorship" after coming to power in the national capital and called for intervention to restore democratic norms.
(With ANI inputs)
