Rajiv Gandhi Bharat Ratna row: Uproar in Delhi Assembly over alleged amendment of resolution
Three BJP MLAs were suspended for the day after they sought the speaker’s removal for allegedly changing the content of a resolution on 1984 anti-Sikh violence.
The Delhi Assembly on Thursday witnessed a heated discussion on the Aam Aadmi Party’s resolution demanding that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna be revoked, PTI reported. Three Opposition MLAs were suspended for the day.
On December 21, the Assembly had passed a resolution to demand the setting up of fast-track courts to deal with cases related to the anti-Sikh violence of 1984. The resolution also called for the revocation of Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna for allegedly justifying the violence.
However, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel later said the demand to take away the former prime minister’s Bharat Ratna was not part of the original resolution passed by the House. The proposed amendment seeking the withdrawal of the recognition was not adopted as it was added to the resolution later, he claimed.
After the House proceedings began on Thursday, BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa moved a notice for the “removal of Speaker Ram Niwas Goel” over the alleged “changes in the recent resolution”. However, the speaker refused to accept it, saying such a notice has to be submitted two weeks in advance.
Sirsa then entered the Well of the House, following which Goel ordered the BJP legislator be marshalled out. The speaker then suspended Sirsa as well as BJP MLAs Vijender Gupta and Jagdish Pradhan for the day and adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
#WATCH BJP MLAs marshaled out from the Delhi Assembly, reportedly for protesting over 1984 anti-Sikh riots resolution. pic.twitter.com/vtL5Ci13Pc
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2019
Speaking to reporters outside the House, Gupta and Sirsa claimed that the “content of resolution was changed” as the Aam Aadmi Party wants to tie up with the Congress ahead of the upcoming General Elections.
The BJP legislator also alleged that he was manhandled and his turban was forcefully removed during the adjournment. A video showed House marshals pushing Sirsa out as he continued to shout slogans, ANI reported.
On Wednesday, Gupta – the leader of Opposition – pointed out that it was against the sanctity of the House to tamper with official records. “Unconstitutional to delete from the proposal the demand asking the Centre to take back Bharat Ratna from Rajiv Gandhi once approved by the Assembly,” he added.