Leader of Opposition Atishi led the protest by AAP MLAs and said something like this was happening for the first time in Delhi.
Highlights:
- Leader of Opposition Atishi & AAP MLAs raise slogans against BJP’s ‘Hitlershahi’ rule after being suspended for speaking out against insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar
- Never in independent India’s history has Assembly Speaker ordered MLAs to be stopped from entering Assembly premises: Atishi
- We chanted ‘Jai Bhim,’ and they threw us out of Assembly premises; BJP hates Babasaheb’s name and his image: Atishi
- Leader of Opposition’s office inside Assembly is meant for administrative work; Blocking access to it is illegal and undemocratic: Atishi
- Speaker has issued absurd order violating our privileges; Assembly will run by rules, not his whims: Sanjeev Jha
February 27, 2025: In a brazen display of authoritarianism, the BJP-led Delhi government barred all Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, including Leader of Opposition (LoP) Atishi, from entering the assembly premises on Thursday. Outraged by an assault on democracy and an insult to Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, AAP MLAs, led by LoP sat in protest on the road outside, raising slogans against the Speaker and the BJP’s dictatorial rule. They raised slogans such as “Vidhan Sabha Adhyaksh ko barkhast karo,” “Tanashahi murdabad,” “Tanashahi-Hitlershahi nahi chalegi,” “Inquilab zindabad,” “Jai Bhim,” and “Samvidhan ki hatya band karo.”
The AAP called out the BJP for forcefully silencing them, stating that the government, unable to answer their questions, resorted to expelling AAP MLAs from the Assembly premises.
During a media interaction, senior AAP leader and LoP Atishi said, “When we raised slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ in the Assembly, we were thrown out of the premises. The BJP hates Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar, his name, and his pictures. Never in the history of independent India has it happened that MLAs were barred from entering the Assembly premises on the orders of the Speaker.”
The Delhi LoP emphasized that the Chief Minister, Ministers, and the Leader of Opposition have offices inside the Assembly premises where they carry out administrative work. “Blocking entry into the premises is illegal and undemocratic. This behavior of the BJP government is outright dictatorial. Such a shameful incident has never occurred before in the history of Indian democracy,” she asserted.
Atishi said that for the first time in the country’s history, elected MLAs have been stopped from entering the Assembly premises. “Today is a black day in the history of democracy. The entire country is witnessing BJP’s dictatorship—how they removed Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s portrait and expelled 21 AAP MLAs from the House just for chanting ‘Jai Bhim’. Not only were AAP MLAs expelled from the House, but for the first time in the history of the Delhi Assembly, three layers of barricades were placed to stop MLAs 200 meters away from the Assembly premises,” she added.
The Delhi LoP affirmed, “The BJP must understand that even if they throw AAP MLAs out of the Assembly or its premises, the slogan of ‘Jai Bhim’ will echo across Delhi and the entire country. They cannot silence this chant.”
She said that while the Assembly was in session today, AAP MLAs sat on the streets, raising slogans of “Jai Bhim” and chanting praises for Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar—the man who gave India its Constitution. It is this very Constitution that established the Delhi Assembly, gave us the right to vote, and granted us the right to sit in the legislature.
Atishi stated that AAP will continue its struggle against the removal of Babasaheb’s picture and the attempt to silence “Jai Bhim” slogans in the Assembly. “The Assembly session has concluded today, so we are ending today’s protest here. But the BJP must know that they cannot erase Babasaheb’s name—not from the Delhi Assembly, nor from the hearts of the people of Delhi and the country. Babasaheb lives in our hearts, and the BJP must understand that his name will echo not just in the Delhi Assembly but in every corner of this nation,” she asserted.
Earlier, during the protest by AAP MLAs on the streets outside the Assembly, Atishi said that when they asked the police to show the order preventing them from entering the Assembly premises, they were referred to the Speaker’s order expelling AAP MLAs from the House for three days. “Nowhere in that order was it mentioned that MLAs could not enter the Assembly premises or that the Leader of Opposition could not go to her office. The Speaker’s order only mentioned suspension from three Assembly sittings; it did not prohibit entry into the Assembly premises,” she added.
Atishi further cited the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Assembly of the NCT of Delhi which defines the “Precincts of the House” means the Assembly Hall, the lobbies, the galleries, the rooms in the occupation of the Assembly Secretariat, the Speaker’s room, the Deputy Speaker’s room, the Committee room, the Assembly Library, the Reading room, Party rooms, all accommodation in the charge of officers of the Assembly Secretariat and approaches leading thereto, and also such other places as the Speaker may from time to time specify.
“This is outright dictatorship. Never in the country’s history have elected MLAs been barred from entering the Assembly. The Speaker has the authority to suspend MLAs from the House, but not to stop them from entering the Assembly premises. This is BJP’s dictatorship,” asserted the Delhi LoP.
Atishi said that Babasaheb gave us the Constitution, through which we were all elected to this House, yet that very Constitution is being disrespected. “We tried calling Speaker Vijender Gupta multiple times, but he did not answer. Why could AAP MLAs not protest inside the Assembly under the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar?” She asked.
She said the BJP is afraid of AAP because they know that AAP will raise the issue of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s missing portrait and the issue of providing ₹2,500 per month to women. To prevent these issues from being raised, the BJP deliberately stopped AAP MLAs from entering the Assembly premises.
Atishi emphasized that the AAP is the main opposition party and that she is the Leader of Opposition. “How can the Leader of Opposition be stopped from going to her office?” she asked. There is no rule that prevents entry into the Assembly premises. If such a rule exists, it should be shown to us. Even the police had no written order,” she stated.
Atishi said that for the first time in the history of the Delhi Assembly and even the country’s Parliament, elected MLAs have been stopped from entering the Assembly premises. “In 75 years of independent India, this has never happened before. If an MLA is suspended from the House, they are only barred from entering the Assembly chamber, not the entire premises,” she added.
Atishi explained that the Leader of Opposition has an office inside the Assembly premises, and MLAs have administrative work to carry out. “We need to submit written questions about issues in their constituencies. It is a place where administrative work linked to the Assembly takes place. The Assembly chamber, where House proceedings occur, is just one part of the premises,” she pointed out.
“Until today, suspension from the House never meant a ban from the entire Assembly premises. Stopping MLAs from entering is illegal and undemocratic. Whether in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, or Madhya Pradesh, no elected MLA has ever been blocked from entering their Assembly premises,” asserted the Delhi LoP.
Atishi also pointed out that even when MPs are suspended from Parliament, they are never stopped from entering the premises. That is why protests often take place under the Gandhi statue inside Parliament even after suspension. When the BJP was in opposition in the Delhi Assembly, they too protested under the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar.
“The AAP legislative group has an office inside the Assembly premises. MLAs need to submit their questions under Rule 280, and AAP needs to file its nomination for the Deputy Speaker election. How can they be stopped from doing so?” She asked.
The Speaker’s responsibility is to protect the privileges of MLAs, but he himself is violating them: Sanjeev Jha
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and MLA Sanjeev Jha strongly condemned the Speaker’s unprecedented order barring MLAs from entering the Assembly premises. “In independent India’s history, never has an Assembly Speaker ordered that MLAs be denied entry into the complex. This is a bizarre order that directly violates our rights,” he said.
Sanjeev Jha added that despite multiple attempts, AAP MLAs have been unable to speak to the Speaker about the issue. “What is he afraid of? We elected him unanimously in the House. The Speaker is supposed to protect the rights of all MLAs, but, if the very person responsible for safeguarding our rights starts violating them, where do we go?” he questioned.
He emphasised that the Assembly must function according to established rules, not the whims of the Speaker. “He cannot run the House as per his personal wishes. This is completely unacceptable,” he asserted.
BJP expelled AAP MLAs to silence the opposition: Jarnail Singh
AAP MLA Jarnail Singh called out the BJP for suppressing opposition voices by forcing AAP MLAs out of the Assembly. “The BJP and Speaker Vijender Gupta wouldn’t have been able to tolerate our questions on the scheme to provide ₹2,500 per month to women. So, they chose the easiest way out—expelling AAP MLAs, not just from the House but from the entire Assembly complex. Their logic is simple: no opposition MLAs, no questions,” he said.
Jarnail Singh stressed that questioning the government is the fundamental right of the opposition in a democracy. “The Constitution lays down procedures to ensure that the opposition holds the government accountable. But this government is so afraid of our questions that they have resorted to throwing us out of the Assembly premises itself,” he said.
He slammed the BJP’s actions as sheer dictatorship. “They are so afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party’s questions. This dictatorship, goondaism, and ‘Hitlershahi’ will not be tolerated.”
Our struggle will continue until Babasaheb’s portrait is reinstated in the CM’s office: Kuldeep Kumar
MLA Kuldeep Kumar said that the BJP is trampling over constitutional values and attempting to dismantle Babasaheb’s Constitution and democracy. “We demand that Babasaheb’s picture be reinstated in the Chief Minister’s office at the same place it was removed from. Until then, our struggle will continue,” he stated.
He further condemned the move to block AAP MLAs from entering the Assembly premises, emphasizing that such an act has never occurred in history. “They have come up with a new rule, but we will continue our fight against it,” added the AAP MLA.
Kuldeep Kumar demanded that the Speaker clarify under which rule MLAs were being stopped from entering the Assembly premises. “When we raised ‘Jai Bhim’ slogans in the House, we were expelled. But when BJP MLAs chanted ‘Modi-Modi,’ they were not removed. The BJP government removed Babasaheb’s picture and replaced it with Modi’s, and when we protested, they suspended us from the Assembly. Today, the BJP Speaker has crossed all limits by preventing us from even entering the premises,” he said.
Kuldeep Kumar also pointed out that the election for the Deputy Speaker is due to take place. “How can they stop us from going inside? Do they want to hold the Deputy Speaker’s election alone? This is completely undemocratic and unconstitutional,” he asserted. He reminded Speaker Vijender Gupta that he himself has been suspended from the House multiple times but was never barred from entering the Assembly premises.
