Accusing AAP of shielding ‘infiltrators’, BJP MLAs walk out of Delhi Assembly

The winter session of the Delhi Assembly opened on a contentious note on Friday, with BJP MLAs staging a walkout minutes after the proceedings began.

The protest, led by Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, came in response to the absence of a Question Hour in the three-day session and Speaker Ram Niwas Goel’s decision to deem issues under Rule 280 as read.

Addressing mediapersons after the walkout, Gupta accused the AAP government of harbouring and protecting “infiltrators” such as Rohingyas and Bangladeshis, alleging they were contributing to rising crime in Delhi. “The AAP government has not only allowed lakhs of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis to settle in Delhi but has also issued them voter ID cards and included their names in the voter list. This is a direct threat to the safety and integrity of the Capital,” Gupta claimed.

Gupta demanded immediate implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Delhi to identify and deport illegal immigrants.

The NRC, which identifies genuine Indian citizens, has so far only been implemented in Assam. Gupta emphasised that its implementation in Delhi would prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining identity cards and accessing rights meant for Indian citizens.

During the session, Gupta also raised concerns about the Delhi Government’s failure to utilise funds allocated under the Nirbhaya Scheme for women’s safety. “The AAP government has failed to protect women. Even their own leaders are not safe,” he alleged, pointing to an incident involving AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Gupta claimed that Maliwal was assaulted at former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence by his personal assistant. “How can this government talk about women’s safety when its own members are at risk?” he questioned.

As Gupta spoke, AAP MLAs disrupted his address, and his microphone was switched off. When he protested the action, marshals escorted him out of the House. In solidarity, all BJP MLAs walked out of the Assembly.

“This is a dark day for democracy. Silencing the voice of the Opposition in a democratic institution is unacceptable,” Gupta told mediapersons outside the Assembly. He further accused the AAP government of “shielding criminals and ignoring governance”.

Gupta also criticised the Delhi Government for not tabling the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports for 2017-18 and 2021-22. “These reports are critical to assessing the financial and administrative functioning of the government. Not presenting them in the Assembly is a blatant violation of constitutional rules,” he said.

A delegation of BJP MLAs, led by Gupta, later met Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena to submit a memorandum urging him to direct the Delhi Government to table the CAG reports. “The AAP government is hiding its acts of corruption by deliberately delaying these reports,” Gupta alleged.