Day after BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani rejected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi Government’s invitation for silver jubilee celebration of Delhi Legislative Assembly; the Delhi Congress had also decided to boycott the event citing politics which has prevailed over this historic building and decency in the last four years. Main Opposition Bharataiya Janata Party (BJP) too has joined Congress in staying away from the function.
Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said that former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit being in the same assembly for 15 out of 25 years should have been called respectfully by the present regime.
He said that such historic and democratic celebrations are always “apolitical” and demanded that a ‘Celebration Committee’, constituting representatives of all political parties, which have been a part of its 25-years of its history, should have been constituted.
The decision to boycott the celebration was taken after a detailed deliberation with senior leaders including former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and former Speakers of the party, he said.
BJP which has four MLAs in the Delhi Assembly, will also boycott the function, said Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Assembly Vijender Gupta.
Gupta said the BJP MLAs in a meeting decided to boycott the function over “disrespect” to democratic values and the Constitution. “A resolution was passed at the meeting saying that the Kejriwal government, which threw democratic values, Constitution and Delhi Assembly rules to winds during the last four years, has no moral right to celebrate silver jubilee of the legislative body,” he said.
Advani has already turned down invitation to be the chief guest at the function, citing personal reasons.