In a strongly worded letter addressed to Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, Leader of the Opposition Atishi criticized the recent suspension of 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators, describing it as an "insult" to the people's mandate and a "blow to democracy."
Condemning the unprecedented suspensions, Atishi alleged that opposition voices were being deliberately suppressed. She expressed grave concern over the discriminatory treatment allegedly meted out to opposition MLAs during recent assembly sessions.
According to Atishi, the controversy erupted when AAP legislators raised slogans of "Jai Bhim" during Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena’s address. Despite their peaceful protests, she argued, the AAP MLAs, including herself, were swiftly suspended and marshalled out. In contrast, BJP MLAs chanting "Modi-Modi" slogans reportedly faced no action, highlighting what Atishi termed a clear case of discrimination.
The dispute intensified further on Thursday when the suspended AAP legislators were prevented from entering the assembly premises to stage a peaceful demonstration near the Mahatma Gandhi statue. Atishi emphasized the unprecedented nature of this action, stating, "This is the first time in the Delhi Assembly that elected MLAs were not even allowed to enter the assembly premises." She accused the ruling party of deliberately "suppressing opposition voices."
The core issue behind Tuesday's disruption was the alleged removal of portraits of prominent freedom fighters Bhagat Singh and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar from Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's assembly office. AAP legislators protested vigorously, leading to their suspension from the session.
Atishi urged Speaker Gupta to uphold democratic values and guarantee fairness for legislators across party lines. In her appeal, she underscored, "Hon'ble Speaker, you are the guardian of this assembly. It is the duty of the guardian to deliver equal justice to all MLAs, whether they belong to the ruling party or the opposition."
Meanwhile, Atishi has reached out to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking an urgent meeting to highlight what she describes as the "murder of democracy" unfolding in the national capital. She accused the BJP-led administration of "crossing all limits of dictatorship," calling upon the President to intervene immediately to protect democratic norms in Delhi.
Notably, the suspension of the AAP MLAs coincided with the tabling of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report on Delhi's excise policy, further intensifying the political heat in the assembly.