Delhi Assembly Turmoil: Speaker and Opposition Clash Over MLA Suspensions

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta accused Leader of Opposition Atishi of defending the misconduct of four suspended AAP MLAs. Gupta criticized Atishi for speaking against the Assembly Chair after suspending the MLAs for disrupting House proceedings. Atishi called for revoking the suspension during the ongoing Budget Session.

In a fiery exchange at the Delhi Assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday rebuked Leader of Opposition Atishi for allegedly defending four suspended AAP MLAs. The Speaker accused Atishi of maligning the Chair's authority after the suspension of MLAs Sanjeev Jha, Som Dutt, Kuldeep Kumar, and Jarnail Singh for disrupting proceedings during the Winter Session.

Gupta, in a letter addressed to Atishi, remarked on her continued defense of the suspended party members and criticized her absence from the House sitting on March 21, where the matter was scheduled for discussion. He expressed regret over Atishi's remarks and her attempts to 'speak ill' of the Chair's decisions.

The Speaker reiterated that the suspensions were carried out in accordance with the Rules of Procedure after the MLAs interfered with the Lieutenant Governor's address. In contrast, Atishi argued that the suspensions were part of a systematic effort to silence opposition voices, challenging the decision as AAP seeks to participate in the ongoing critical Budget Session.

(With inputs from agencies.)