NEW DELHI: During the ongoing Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday formally addressed the House regarding persistent disruptions in legislative proceedings and the resulting suspension of four members of the Aam Aadmi Party.
The Speaker emphasised that the sanctity of the House and the Chair must be upheld above political interests. He said 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.
Gupta also issued a formal letter to Leader of Opposition(LoP) Atishi, expressing disappointment over her continued defence of “errant members” and the “unparliamentary conduct” of the Opposition.
In the letter, the Speaker stated that the suspension of the four members was strictly in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the Delhi Assembly. He noted that the members were initially suspended for disrupting the constitutional obligation of the L-G to address the Assembly. Instead of condemning such behaviour, he alleged that the Opposition chose to spread “misleading information” about the reasons for the suspension to gain political mileage.
The Speaker further said that despite his specific advice during a meeting on March 21 for the Opposition to attend the sittings and allow the House to decide on the matter of recall, the LoP chose to abstain from proceedings. “It does not behove the LoP to drag the Chair and the House to cover up the failures and objectionable behaviour of party members,” he said.
Gupta rejected allegations of being “authoritarian or biased”, asserting that the House under his chairmanship has been more tolerant and accommodating towards the Opposition than in previous years. However, Gupta maintained that such tolerance cannot come at the cost of the smooth conduct of proceedings.
He called upon the suspended members to express regret for their actions and apologise to the House, urging the Opposition to participate constructively rather than “betraying their constituents” by staying away from legislative duties.
‘Sanctity of the House and Chair must be upheld’
The Speaker emphasised that the sanctity of the House and the Chair must be upheld above political interests. He said 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.