After overnight protests by MLAs, MPs banned in Delhi Assembly secretariat

New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday (August 30, 2022) issued an order banning the entry of MPs and political party leaders in its premises. The development comes in view of the tense situation due to the overnight protest at the Assembly premises by MLAs of the ruling AAP and opposition BJP.

“The deputy speaker has observed that as members from the ruling and opposition parties are staging protests inside the Assembly complex, security arrangements should be tightened in and around the Assembly complex to ensure no untoward incidents take place,” the order read.

The order said only one visitor, accompanied by an MLA, will be allowed to enter the Assembly complex after identity verification. 

“However, Members of Parliament or political party leaders shall not be allowed to enter the Assembly complex keeping in view their security and in view of the prevailing tense situation," it added.

After the order was issued, BJP MLA from Rohini Vijender Gupta said on Twitter, “Kejriwal government is scared! Entry of MPs of Delhi has been banned in the Assembly."

Earlier, BJP leader and South MP Ramesh Bidhuri had arrived at the Assembly reception and told the reporters that all his party MPs will take part in the session, irrespective of the Secretariat order. However, he was stopped at the gate.

While AAP legislators have alleged that Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had pressurised his employees to exchange demonetised notes worth Rs 1,400 crore in 2016 when he was Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman, the BJP MLAs are demanding the sacking of ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over alleged corruption.

AAP has accused Saxena of pressuring two of his subordinates to get demonetised currency notes worth Rs 1,400 crore exchange during his term as the Khadi and Village Industries Commission chairman in 2016.

(With agency inputs)