A heated confrontation over Delhi's severe air pollution crisis between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led to the suspension of four opposition legislators on Monday. The dramatic events unfolded during the inaugural address of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at the start of the Delhi Assembly's winter session.
Gas Masks Spark Assembly Ruckus and Suspension
The session began with a major protest as AAP MLAs entered the house wearing gas masks, aiming to highlight the capital's dangerous air quality. This act of protest disrupted the LG's speech, prompting Speaker Vijender Gupta to order their removal from the chamber. Following a request from BJP MLA Parvesh Sahib Singh, the Speaker took strict action, suspending four AAP legislators—Sanjeev Jha, Som Dutt, Kuldeep Kumar, and Jarnail Singh—for the remaining three days of the session.
Leader of the Opposition, Atishi, condemned the suspension as an "assault on democratic accountability." She, along with other AAP MLAs, staged a protest near the Gandhi statue on the assembly premises. "Delhi has turned into a gas chamber. Children and the elderly are falling ill. But the BJP government is not even ready to discuss pollution," Atishi alleged, framing the issue as one of governmental neglect.
A War of Words Over Blame and Accountability
The political blame game intensified sharply after the suspensions. The BJP accused the AAP of deliberately avoiding a substantive debate on the issue. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed the AAP was "running away" from a scheduled discussion on air pollution. "They fear that 11 years of AAP government misdeeds will be exposed," Sirsa stated, further alleging that AAP cared more about "wearing expensive masks" than the health of Delhi's residents.
In response, the suspended AAP MLAs launched a counterattack, criticizing the BJP-led central government's administration in Delhi. Sanjeev Jha listed a series of what he called broken promises: "BJP said women will be given Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance, it did not happen yet. They promised free LPG cylinders on Holi and Diwali... They claimed there would be no waterlogging, yet 50 people died." He also pointed to contradictory statements on the condition of the Yamuna river.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva placed the blame squarely on the AAP's long tenure, stating that pollution had worsened over 11 years of Arvind Kejriwal's government. He accused the AAP of failing to tackle local pollution sources or assist Punjab farmers in curbing stubble burning.
Broader Political Implications and Calls for Dialogue
The dispute quickly expanded beyond the immediate pollution debate. BJP MP Ramvir Singh Biduri claimed that people were now seeing the positive impact of the current administration after a decade of AAP's "misgovernance." Meanwhile, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor questioned AAP's seriousness, noting that while the assembly was in session, Atishi was in Goa and MLA Gopal Rai was in Gujarat for party expansion work.
Amidst the acrimony, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta appealed for calm and constructive dialogue. She urged both the ruling and opposition parties to fulfill their responsibilities and engage in meaningful discussions focused on Delhi's development.
The incident underscores how environmental governance in the national capital remains a deeply polarized political battleground, with both major parties using the public health crisis to score points ahead of future electoral contests.
