AAP’s Pankaj Pushkar in soup, case against him referred to privilege committee

New Delhi: Days after AAP's Timarpur MLA Pankaj Pushkar was suspended from the Delhi Assembly for two days, the fledgling party's Laxmi Nagar legislator Nitin Tyagi moved a breach of privilege motion against the former on Wednesday.

Pushkar has filed a police complaint against Tyagi alleging threat to his life.

In his notice to Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Tyagi said the "politically motivated" charges against him had left him "traumatised". Goel accepted the notice and referred the matter to the privilege committee of the House.

"I have not threatened him. Whatever he is alleging are baseless and politically motivated. I am feeling distressed and traumatised over the whole episode. Even my children are having to face questions in school," Tyagi said.

In his complaint, lodged at the Civil Lines police station on November 27, Pushkar had accused Tyagi of giving death threats inside and outside the House for speaking against the party in various public forums.

Pushkar, also an active member of Swaraj Abhiyan, recently released a copy of the draft Jan Lokpal Bill to the media before it was tabled in the Assembly, leading to huge uproar.

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Pushkar, following his suspension from Delhi Assembly on Friday, had said the Speaker's ruling suggested a dictatorial tendency and smacked of "arrogance".

Alleging that AAP has been overrun by "anti-party elements", Pushkar, who has been at odds with the party leadership over the expulsion of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, described his suspension as "undemocratic".

Pushkar was suspended as he kept on demanding a discussion on EWS category in schools despite the Speaker's objection. Delhi Home Minister Satyender Jain moved a proposal in this regard which was voted upon.

"The issue was to be raised under the 'calling attention' provision and would not require more than two minutes, " Pushkar said.

"I wanted to raise the issue of EWS category admissions in schools and creches on DDA land in the capital under the calling attention provision. The government could just state whether it was being complied with or not…the Speaker's step tends towards being dictatorial," he added.

"But under the same provision, three issues were raised in the House on November 24, when I had first spoken about it," he said, adding, "You may silence my voice but one day you will have to answer to the people."

Pushkar denied that he was trying to embarrass AAP by his actions.

(With inputs from agencies)