New Delhi, Feb 24 An eventful first day of the new Delhi Assembly on Monday saw bitter exchanges, inside and outside the House, between the ruling BJP and the Opposition AAP over an alleged ‘Ambedkar-PM Modi photo swap’ in Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s office.
While former Chief Ministers and AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi accused the BJP of disrespecting B.R. Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh by removing their portraits from the CM’s office in the legislature, the ruling party hit back accusing them of spreading falsehoods to make up for the rejection by both Dalit and Sikh voters in the recent Assembly elections.
The BJP also demanded an apology from Atishi for issuing false statements about the removal of portraits of the great leaders from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Atishi first raised the issue in the House and later addressed media persons on the issue after the adjournment of proceedings. Arvind Kejriwal joined her later in the evening by posting a message on a social media platform.
Kejriwal posted on X, “The new BJP government of Delhi removed Baba Saheb's photo and put up the photo of Prime Minister Modi. This is not right. This has hurt millions of followers of Baba Saheb. I have a request to the BJP. You can put the photo of the Prime Minister but do not remove the photo of Baba Sahib. Let his photo remain there.”
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said it is unfortunate that AAP leaders have continued their misconduct of spreading lies even after losing the election.
He stated that in the last Assembly elections, AAP faced defeat in Sikh-majority and Dalit-populated constituencies. “Frustrated by this loss, Atishi attempted to spread falsehoods from the Assembly premises,” he said.
Sachdeva clarified that the portraits of revered Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, the President of India, and the Prime Minister of India continue to be displayed in the offices of the Chief Minister and all ministers of Delhi — something that anyone can easily verify.
Sharing pictures of the CMO – highlighting the portraits of leaders on the walls - the Delhi BJP President condemned AAP leaders’ behaviour, calling it disgraceful.
The controversy started in the afternoon soon after AAP leaders, led by Atishi, visited Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s office on the Assembly premises during a break in the House.
On resumption of House proceedings, Atishi raised the issue alleging disrespect for the Dalit icon and the freedom fighters by way of removing their photos.
This sparked a ruckus in the House with BJP members protesting against her allegations. Thereafter, the House was adjourned by new Speaker Vijender Gupta who also condemned Atishi’s unparliamentary act of raising an issue without the chair’s permission.
On Tuesday, the controversial CAG report on the AAP government’s now-scrapped excise policy is likely to be tabled after Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena’s address to the House.
The BJP, which has occupied the treasury benches after 27 years, has 48 MLAs in the Assembly. The AAP has 22 legislators.
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