BJP MLAs on Monday marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly in protest at the denial of their demand to discuss the building of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, news agency PTI reported. The legislators, led by Delhi Assembly Leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, claimed they had passed a calling attention motion to debate the subject. However, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel denied their appeal, prompting the BJP MLAs to protest.
The Speaker then enabled AAP MLAs to debate the "hindrances" produced by the finance department in the running of the Public Works Department, the Delhi Jal Board, and the health department.
"Arvind Kejriwal spent Rs 189 crore on his 'rajmahal' while violating all laws and regulations. The (AAP) government is not ready to answer on the corruption," said Delhi Assembly LoP and BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri. MLAs Abhay Verma and Ajay Mahawar submitted a calling attention notice, and a query was also put up, he said.
"The Delhi administration is not simply addressing the question. The (AAP) government is refusing to address questions about corruption. This is our complaint: why is Arvind Kejriwal avoiding debate? If everything is in order and no corruption has occurred, why avoid debate in the house?," he stated.
As the BJP MPs' protests persisted, Goel ordered Bidhuri, Abhay Verma, Ajay Mahawar, Mohan Singh Bisht, Anil Kumar Bajpai, Vijender Gupta, Om Prakash Sharma, and Jitender Mahajan to be marched out.
The BJP has been criticising Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party, saying that Rs 45 crore was spent on renovating the chief minister's house 6, Flagstaff Road, between 2020 and 22.
The AAP has responded, claiming that the BJP is using this issue to draw attention away from more pressing matters.