BJP MLAs marshalled out for protesting LG's speech

NEW DELHI: All four Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs were marshalled out of Delhi Assembly on Friday, for protesting ahead of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's address on the first day of the Budget session.

Baijal arrived in the House in the morning, amid protests by Opposition MLAs over the presence of Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot in the House, despite his disqualification over an alleged office-of-profit case.

As the Assembly proceedings began, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta and the three BJP MLAs OP Sharma, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Jagdish Pradhan protested to Gahlot's presence, stating that only elected members should be allowed in the House.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel later ordered the MLAs to be marshalled out.

When the proceedings restarted around 2 pm after tea, Speaker Goel gave a ruling that "I would like to clarify that as per section 43(2) of the Government of NCT Act, he (Gahlot) can continue as a Minister for six months without being a member of the House."

"As far as his role is concerned, that too has been provided in section 11 of the Act, which states that he can participate in the proceedings of the Assembly and

Committees," the Speaker further said.

The Speaker further said "It is highly regretted that the members of the Opposition caused disturbance during the address of the LG and unnecessarily sought to raise a point of order, which cannot be done during the Address."

Talking to reporters later, Gupta said, "Why is Gahlot allowed to sit in the House even after disqualification? We were just demanding that disqualified members should not be allowed inside the House, but we were marshalled out."

In January, President Ram Nath Kovind had approved the Election Commission's recommendation to disqualify 20 MLAs of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, including Gahlot, on charges of holding offices-of-profit.