The tabling of the “historic” Jan lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly was marred by controversy as two of the three Opposition leaders were not allowed inside the Assembly on the Speaker’s order, and the third walked out in protest.
While BJP leader OP Sharma has been suspended for the whole Assembly Session for making derogatory remarks against AAP’s MlA Alka lamba inside the Assembly, leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta was ordered to leave the House till 4 pm on Monday, and was forcefully carried out by the marshals when he resisted. Jagdish Pradhan walked out with Gupta in protest.
Interestingly, the three education bills were also discussed in the Assembly on the day the vocal opponent of the Bill Pankaj Pushkar was under suspension.
Before tabling the “landmark Jan lokpal Bill”, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia requested the two BJP leaders to return to the hours. But with earlier directions by the Speaker barring Gupta’s presence in the House till 4 pm, the two did not show up as Jan lokpal was tabled at 3.30 pm. In fact, the Opposition benches were empty for the rest of the day as well.
The whole drama started as soon as the session began on Monday with AAP MlA Alka lamba walking into the Well of the House demanding swift enquiry by the Ethics Committee against BJP MlA OP Sharma with daily hearings on the issue. She alleged that Sharma is making false statements on TV channels over last week’s incident.
Sharma had made derogatory remarks against lamba in the Assembly following which, the matter was sent to the Ethics Committee.
Assuring lamba that justice would be done, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel asked her to keep faith in the committee. “If he (OP Sharma) is making false statements on TV, it only strengthens your case in the Ethics Committee. I assure you that daily proceedings would be done and the first meeting of the Ethics Committee has already been carried out on November 27. And there is another meeting today (Monday) in the evening,” he said.
Meanwhile, leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta alleged that it’s all a controversy by the AAP MlAs to build pressure on the Ethics Committee.
“Why has no enquiry been ordered into what happened with us in the HouseIJ We were attacked by a mob inside the Assembly on Government’s directions and were verbally abused. Have we come here to take abuse from the majority partyIJ Why has no inquiry being ordered into thatIJ” he asked.
With Gupta vociferously alleged biased proceedings being carried out in the House, and not letting the House to function despite repeated appeals by the Speaker, Goel asked him to leave the House till 4 pm. It must be noted that Jan lokpal Bill was tabled at 3.30 pm, albeit after requests by the Speaker and Deputy CM Sisodia for them to return to the House.
After being ordered to leave the House, Gupta resisted and sat inside the Well of the House, after which the marshals were called in.
Amid stiff resistance by Gupta, the marshals forcefully carried him out on their shoulders. While being forcefully taken out, he accused the Speaker of “abusing his powers” and acting in a “biased” manner.
Meanwhile, the Bill was tabled in the Assembly after which celebrations were held inside and outside the House. While the whole hall echoed with slogans like Bharat mata ki jai and Inquilab Zindabad, outside, people were seen playing Holi and dancing to dhol.