New Delhi, March 24 While AAP MLAs in the opposition boycotted the budget presentation in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, Speaker Vijender Gupta and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Atishi exchanged strongly worded letters.
Senior MLAs claimed that it was the first time in the history of the Assembly that opposition members did not attend the tabling of the budget.
In a letter to Gupta, Atishi raised the issues of the suspension of AAP MLAs and alleged "double standards" being adopted in the House.
The AAP leaders boycotted the Budget session on Monday and Tuesday, demanding that the speaker revoke the suspension of four party MLAs.
The MLAs – Sanjiv Jha, Jarnail Singh, Som Dutt, and Kuldeep Kumar – were suspended in the previous sitting of the Assembly for allegedly disrupting the Lt Governor's speech in the House.
Atishi alleged that the Delhi Assembly was not being allowed to function democratically, and the opposition's voice was being suppressed by the ruling BJP. She also charged that no action was taken against the BJP MLAs for "disrupting" the House proceedings.
She demanded that the suspension of AAP MLAs be revoked, after which all opposition MLAs will participate in the Budget session. Wednesday is the last day of the Budget session.
The suspension of four AAP MLAs has continued in the current session as the previous sitting of the House was not prorogued, said Speaker Gupta.
The speaker emphasised that the sanctity of the House and the chair must be upheld above political interests.
He informed the House that the decision to suspend the members was not arbitrary but a necessary consequence of their "continued agitation, misbehaviour and the disturbance caused" during the Lieutenant Governor's address.
In his letter to the leader of opposition, he expressed his "deep disappointment" over the continued defence of "errant members" and the "unparliamentary conduct" displayed by the opposition.
The speaker further highlighted that despite his specific advice during a meeting with opposition members on March 21 to attend the sittings, AAP MLAs chose to abstain from the proceedings.
"It does not behove the leader of opposition to drag the chair and the House to cover up the failures and objectionable behaviour of party members," he hit out at Atishi.
He dismissed allegations of being "authoritarian or biased", asserting that the House under his chairmanship has been "more tolerant and indulgent" towards the opposition than in previous years.