Chaos in Delhi Assembly: AAP-BJP Face Off on Day One

New Delhi: The first session of the Delhi Assembly under the newly formed BJP government witnessed heated exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), leading to a brief adjournment.

Leader of Opposition Atishi accused the BJP of removing portraits of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh from the Chief Minister’s Office, sparking protests from AAP legislators. They raised slogans and stood up in their seats, while BJP members vehemently countered the allegations.

Speaker Vijender Gupta reprimanded the opposition for their behavior, stating, “The opposition is acting irresponsibly. You will have your time to speak. Disrupting the proceedings undermines the dignity of the House. I urge all members to return to their seats and allow the session to proceed. AAP members seem intent on turning the Assembly into a political battleground instead of engaging in constructive discussions.” Following the commotion, the session was adjourned for 15 minutes.

Outside the Assembly, Atishi doubled down on her accusations, alleging that the BJP’s actions reflected an “anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh mindset.” She stated, “The BJP’s anti-Dalit mentality is well known, and today’s events confirm it. Arvind Kejriwal had installed pictures of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh in every Delhi government office. Since coming to power, the BJP has removed these images from the Chief Minister’s Office. This exposes their disregard for Dalit and Sikh icons.” She also criticized the ruling party for failing to deliver on its promises, including the Mahila Samman Yojana.

In response, BJP MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah dismissed AAP’s claims as baseless. “No photographs have been removed. They are fabricating these allegations. AAP leaders built their careers on protests, starting with Anna Hazare’s movement. We once believed Arvind Kejriwal was the biggest liar, but Atishi seems to have surpassed him,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, the BJP government is expected to table the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the AAP government in the Assembly tomorrow. AAP leaders have preemptively accused the BJP of attempting to “spread misinformation” now that the party has gained power in Delhi after 27 years.