21 AAP MLAs suspended from Delhi assembly for 3 days

21 AAP MLAs suspended from Delhi assembly for 3 days
25 Feb 2025

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday suspended 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs till February 28 for creating a ruckus during Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's address.

The only AAP legislator who wasn't suspended was Amanatullah Khan, who skipped the session.

Initially, 12 AAP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Atishi and former minister Gopal Rai, were suspended for the day after they raised slogans during Saxena's speech.

AAP MLAs protest over alleged removal of Ambedkar's portrait
Protest details

The slogans raised by the suspended AAP MLAs pertained to the BJP allegedly removing BR Ambedkar's portrait from the chief minister's office.

Atishi accused the BJP of disrespecting Ambedkar by replacing his portrait with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The BJP has shown its true colors by removing Babasaheb Ambedkar's portrait. Does it believe Modi can replace Babasaheb?" she said at a press conference.

AAP leaders accused of creating unrest in assembly
Unrest accusations

The controversy came as the new BJP-led government tabled a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, highlighting financial irregularities during the AAP's administration.

The report, titled 'Performance Audit on Regulation and Supply of Liquor in Delhi,' covers four years from 2017-18 to 2020-21.

It said that the Excise Policy caused a massive financial loss of ₹2,002 crore to the government.

It also highlights violations in awarding licenses, lack of transparency in pricing Indian Made Foreign Liquor, and poor quality control.

CAG report highlights financial irregularities under AAP
Report findings

BJP leaders alleged AAP was attempting to divert attention from these findings by stalling assembly proceedings.

"The result of the 'AAP-da' government has been disastrous. All its ministers were jailed. A CAG report of all their ministries will be presented... The CAG report will reveal everything," Delhi minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said.

The session also includes plans for a motion of thanks on Saxena's address and discussions on electing a deputy speaker on Wednesday.