New Delhi: Following protests by AAP MLAs who were denied entry into the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, BJP MLAs Arvinder Singh Lovely and Kailash Gahlot addressed the controversy in the ongoing session.
Arvinder Singh Lovely clarified that the protesting AAP MLAs were suspended from the Vidhan Sabha and thus barred from entering the session, stating, “Since they are suspended, they cannot enter the session. They only know how to make allegations.”
BJP MLA Kailash Gahlot highlighted that denying entry to suspended members was not a new practice, noting that past instances of such actions have occurred, including suspensions of BJP MLAs since 2015, sometimes for entire sessions. He emphasized that this has happened across party lines in the past.
Delhi minister Parvesh Verma commented that nothing significant had occurred in Delhi over the past 10 years and criticized the opposition for their protests during the Lieutenant Governor’s speech. Verma stated that such behavior was unacceptable, especially during the address of the President or Lieutenant Governor, and that it was a serious violation.
Earlier, after being denied entry to the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, along with other AAP MLAs, protested outside the Assembly holding ‘Jai Bhim’ placards. She condemned the move as “undemocratic and unconstitutional,” questioning why suspended legislators were barred from entering the premises when similar access is allowed in Parliament and other state assemblies.
Atishi stated to ANI, “Police officers are telling us that since we’re suspended, we can’t even enter the premises. This is undemocratic and unconstitutional… This has never happened before in the country’s history. Even in Parliament, suspended members protest under the Gandhi statue. How can we be stopped? We tried to speak to the Speaker, but nothing happened.”
The tension in the Delhi Assembly began earlier when Speaker Vijender Gupta suspended 12 AAP MLAs, including Atishi and Gopal Rai, amid a disruption ahead of the CAG report tabling.