The winter session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly witnessed significant disruption on its second day, Tuesday, as proceedings were adjourned twice following heated exchanges between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The primary flashpoint was the BJP's demand for an apology from AAP legislators and its national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, over allegations that the government ordered school teachers to count stray dogs.
Uproar Leads to Adjournment
Shortly after the house convened at approximately 11 am, BJP Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) created an uproar, insisting on an apology for what they termed as "spreading lies." Speaker Vijender Gupta was compelled to adjourn the proceedings for 30 minutes in an attempt to restore order. However, when the house reconvened, the scene repeated itself with BJP MLAs raising slogans against AAP. Opposition members also protested, leading Speaker Gupta to adjourn the house once more, this time until 1 pm.
The controversy stems from a claim made by AAP last month, which alleged that the Delhi government had directed teachers in its schools to undertake the task of counting stray dogs. The government had promptly denied this allegation. The issue resurfaced sharply on Tuesday when Delhi's Education Minister, Ashish Sood, wrote a letter to Arvind Kejriwal. In his letter, Sood addressed Kejriwal's public allegations about teachers being asked to count stray dogs, calling it a "serious misrepresentation of facts." He accused the AAP leader of engaging in 'shoot and scoot' politics, a tactic he claimed the people of Delhi would no longer accept.
AAP Accuses BJP of Dodging Pollution Debate
AAP legislators presented a counter-narrative, asserting that the uproar was a deliberate strategy orchestrated by the BJP to sidestep a crucial debate on the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. Led by the Leader of the Opposition, Atishi, AAP MLAs protested over the issue of air pollution. Atishi alleged that the BJP government was evading the pollution issue and doing nothing while the entire city raised its voice against the toxic air. She claimed the house was adjourned precisely because the BJP did not want a discussion on pollution.
Simultaneously, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj led a group of party members in a protest outside the assembly complex, amplifying the party's focus on the environmental crisis. Meanwhile, BJP MLAs also staged their own protest outside the house, underscoring the deep political divide.
Political Blame Game Intensifies
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva launched a sharp counter-attack, targeting Atishi. He stated that Atishi, who he claimed was absent from Delhi for the past six months, had created a drama in the assembly over pollution for two days. According to Sachdeva, this was a tactic to prevent BJP MLAs from raising the issue of false social media posts and statements made by AAP functionaries regarding the stray dog counting order.
When the house finally reconvened in the afternoon, Speaker Gupta referred a separate matter concerning 'education for examination,' raised by BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar, to the education committee for further review. This move indicated a tentative return to legislative business, albeit on a less contentious topic.
The day's events highlight the acrimonious state of politics in Delhi, where governance issues like pollution are often overshadowed by fierce partisan clashes and allegations of misinformation. The winter session, intended for legislative discussion, appears set to be a battleground for political one-upmanship between the two rival parties.
