-Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: AAP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition (LoP) Atishi, staged a protest outside the Assembly after being barred from entering. They called the Speaker’s decision a “brazen display of authoritarianism” and accused the BJP of dictatorship.
AAP alleged that its MLAs were expelled for demanding the reinstatement of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh’s portraits, which were removed from Delhi government offices.
Speaking to the media, Atishi said, “When we chanted ‘Jai Bhim’ in the Assembly, we were thrown out. BJP hates Babasaheb, his name, and his pictures. Never before have MLAs been barred from the Assembly premises on a Speaker’s orders.”
Protesting MLAs chanted slogans like “Dismiss the Speaker,” “Down with dictatorship,” “No to tyranny,” “Long live the revolution,” and “Stop killing democracy.”
Atishi called the BJP’s move “illegal and undemocratic”, saying, “This is outright dictatorship. Such an incident has never happened in Indian democracy.”
She said that for the first time in history, elected MLAs were blocked from entering the Assembly. Calling it a “black day”, she said, “BJP’s dictatorship is exposed. They removed Babasaheb’s portrait and expelled 21 AAP MLAs for chanting ‘Jai Bhim’. For the first time, three-layer barricades were set up 200 meters from the Assembly.”
She warned BJP, “Even if they throw us out, ‘Jai Bhim’ will echo across Delhi and India. They can’t silence us.”
Citing Delhi Assembly rules, she said, “The Speaker can suspend MLAs, but not bar entry. This is BJP’s dictatorship.”
While the session continued inside, AAP MLAs sat on the streets chanting ‘Jai Bhim’ and praising Dr. Ambedkar.
Meanwhile, Atishi wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, condemning BJP’s removal of Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh’s portraits. She called it an insult to martyrs, Dalits, and marginalized communities.
She termed the entry ban a ‘murder of democracy’ and a ‘black spot’ on India’s democratic history. She urged the President to act immediately and grant a meeting on February 28.
Her letter concluded, “Silencing the opposition means silencing the people.”
