New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Atishi on Tuesday wrote to Speaker Vijender Gupta, accusing him of “silencing” the opposition through repeated suspensions and expulsions, and asserting that AAP MLAs will resume participation in House proceedings only after the revocation of the suspension of four legislators.

In her letter, Atishi termed the Speaker’s recent remarks -- questioning the opposition’s absence and calling it a breach of democratic responsibility -- as “misplaced and deeply ironic”.

She alleged that over the past year, the Delhi Legislative Assembly has not functioned as a democratic institution, claiming that the opposition’s voice has been “systematically stifled”, with elected representatives being suspended or removed from the House “on the slightest provocation”.

“The most glaring example of this authoritarian approach was seen during the Winter Session,” she wrote, referring to the suspension of four AAP MLAs -- Sanjiv Jha, Kuldeep Kumar, Jarnail Singh, and Som Dutt -- for the entire session.

According to the LoP, the four legislators were not only barred from participating in Assembly proceedings but were also denied entry to the premises and later excluded from committee meetings even after the session ended. “This is not discipline -- this is punishment aimed at crushing dissent,” she wrote.

Atishi further alleged “blatant double standards”, claiming that BJP MLAs disrupted proceedings for two days without facing any action. “No suspensions. No accountability. Such biased conduct has never been witnessed in the history of the Delhi Legislative Assembly,” she wrote.

She stressed that the opposition is keen to participate in the ongoing Budget Session, noting that its decisions would shape the future of the national capital. She also referred to a March 21 meeting between a delegation of AAP MLAs and the Speaker, where they conveyed their willingness to engage constructively.

However, she maintained that meaningful participation is not possible “in an atmosphere of fear, exclusion, and selective punishment”.

“We therefore demand that the suspension of the four MLAs be revoked immediately,” Atishi said, adding that their continued exclusion is “an assault on democratic norms and on the mandate of the people”.

She concluded by stating that all opposition MLAs would participate fully in the proceedings once the suspensions are lifted, and placed the responsibility of restoring the “dignity, neutrality, and credibility” of the House on the Speaker.

AAP also held a protest on Monday outside the Delhi Assembly against the suspension of its four MLAs and demanded their immediate reinstatement.

--IANS

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