High drama unfolded on Tuesday when after a group of protestors entered the Delhi Assembly premises, breaching the security cordon on Tuesday. They started raising slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government on the issue of dirty water allegedly being supplied in the national Capital.
The protestors carrying placards managed to slip through the security cordon but were later forced out of the Assembly premises. Terming the incident as “hooliganism” by the BJP, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel alleged that Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta was behind it.
As the House proceedings began on the second day of Winter Session, Gupta asked for a discussion on the issue of prices rise of onions while trying to move a calling attention motion, which was turned down by the Speaker.
After rejecting the motion moved by the opposition leader, Goel told the House that an unfortunate incident took place when a group of 10-15 women staged a protest at the Assembly premises.
The “hooliganism” was done by bringing women protestors inside the Assembly premises and the opposition leader did it, Goel alleged in the House. “If Vijender Gupta had guts, he would have brought 10-20 boys (to stage protest at the Assembly premises),” the Speaker said.
Following the accusations, some ruling AAP MLAs trooped into the Well and exchanged heated arguments with opposition members.
Meanwhile, Gupta reached near Speaker’s chair and demanded discussion on the issue of dirty water allegedly being supplied in the city. Goel asked Gupta to go back to his seat, failing which he would take a strict action against him.
As the Leader of Opposition did not relent, Goel ordered him to be marshalled out of the House. To protest the Speaker’s decision, other BJP MLAs - Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Om Prakash Sharma and Jagdish Pradhan - also staged a walkout.
Later, all four BJP MLAs wore garlands of onions to register their protest against hike in the price of the kitchen staple.
BJP MLA from Vishwas Nagar, OP Sharma, showed a garland of onions to the chief minister as his vehicle left the Vidhan Sabha.
Gupta said that AAP Government ran away from discussion in the Assembly on its failure to provide onion at subsidized rates and supply of polluted water to Delhiites. He said that the Opposition had given notice to Assembly for calling attention motion on these important issues under rule — 54 of the Assembly.
He said that it was expected that the Government would come out with an explanation on these two important public interest issues. “I had already given a call attention notice to the Assembly three hours prior to the start of the House but the Government evaded discussions in the House to save it from embarrassment,” he added.
Gupta said that onion was being sold at Rs 100 per kg, and that the Delhi government should provide the kitchen staple to Delhiites at cheaper rates. He said the government is not ready to respond to a calling attention motion on the issue of rising prices of onions.
A security official posted inside the premises said the protesters were first asked to get their passes but they failed to do so and were waiting at the barricade. When the barricade was lifted to allow vehicle to pass, they suddenly rushed inside and started raising slogans. They were later taken out of the premises, the official said.