BJP MLAs criticise AAP MLA protest on being denied entry to Delhi Vidhan Sabha

Arvinder Singh Lovely clarified that the protesting AAP MLAs were suspended from the Vidhan Sabha, stating, "As they are suspended from the Vidhan Sabha, they cannot enter the session... They don't know anything else other than making allegations."

BJP MLA Kailash Gahlot, pointed out that denying entry to suspended members was not a new practice, highlighting past instances of such actions.

"It is not the first time that MLAs have been denied entry to the House session. Since 2015, many BJP MLAs have been suspended from the Vidhan Sabha sessions, that too not only for one sitting but for the entire session," Gahlot said, emphasizing that suspensions have happened across party lines in the past.

Delhi minister Parvesh Verma said, "Nothing has happened (in Delhi) for 10 years. The noise they made or the protest they did during the speech of the Lieutenant Governor also happened for the first time... The opposition can make as much noise as it wants in the House, but when the President or the Lieutenant Governor is giving his speech, then noise is not allowed during that time. In a way, this is a big crime... I expect them (the opposition) that they will not do this in future."

Earlier, after being denied entry into the Delhi Vidhan Sabha premises, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, along with other AAP MLAs, staged a protest outside the Assembly on Thursday, holding 'Jai Bhim' placards, as she criticised the move as "undemocratic and unconstitutional."

The Delhi Assembly LoP questioned why suspended legislators were being barred from entering the premises despite precedents from Parliament and state assemblies allowing such access and asserted that elected representatives have the right to be present in the Assembly complex even if they are not permitted inside the House.

Speaking to ANI, Atishi said, "Police officers are saying that we (AAP MLAs) are suspended from the assembly, so we will not even be allowed to enter the assembly premises. This is undemocratic and unconstitutional... To date, this has never happened in the history of the country... Even in Parliament, there are protests under the Gandhi statue even after being suspended... After all, how can we be stopped? We tried to talk to the Speaker but nothing was happening."

On Tuesday, Tensions escalated in the Delhi Assembly as Speaker Vijender Gupta suspended 12 AAP MLAs, including Atishi, and AAP MLA Gopal Rai amid an uproar ahead of the tabling of the CAG report. (ANI)