'We're like interns, assistants,' AAP MLAs tell EC

NEW DELHI: The fate of 21 AAP MLAs, appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries, hangs in balance after President Pranab Mukherjee refused to give his assent to a bill passed by the Delhi Assembly last year seeking amendment to the existing law to insulate the legislators from the purview of the office of profit law. The Election Commission is currently examining petitions seeking disqualification of the legislators. The Commission had sought replies from the MLAs in question. In their defence, some of the MLAs have conveyed to the EC that they were acting like interns or assistance attached to the ministers in various works of the government. According to reports, the AAP legislators claimed themselves as “interns” in their reply to the show-cause notice of Election Commission. When asked to respond, AAP's Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey said their submissions have taken into account the moral, ethical and legal aspects and there should not be any room for doubt that they were acting as Parliamentary Secretaries. Fresh elections will have to be held if the 21 MLAs are disqualified on the ground of holding office of profit. The AAP has 67 MLAs in the 70-member assembly. The remaining three are BJP legislators. Meanwhile, the Congress stepped up its demand for disqualification of the 21 AAP MLAs and said not receiving salary alone did not shield them against provisions of 'office of profit' law. "AAP has cried hoarse saying that these 21 MLAs/ Parliamentary secretaries received no salaries. As they clamber to save themselves, it appears AAP have not bothered to read Supreme Court s judgements which have clearly stated that office of profit is not deemed by salary alone," the party said in a commentary. In the commentary posted on its website, the AICC insisted that the office of profit is determined by perks too. "It is determined by perks, which undoubtedly these 21 MLAs were enjoying under Kejriwal s Government and at the cost of the Delhi tax-payer," it said in the commentary titled "Kejriwal has the 'Office', AAP MLAs enjoy the 'Profits". The party said that after winning 67 seats in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal had to accommodate many party colleagues in "positions of power". Delhi BJP leader Vijender Gupta said the 21 MLAs must quit. The AAP termed as "purely political" the refusal of assent to the bill by the President, saying it was part of BJP's ploy to trouble the Delhi government as Modi was "scared" of Kejriwal. The party told a news conference that the President's decision, "based on the Centre's recommendation", was not ontechnical grounds "as being projected" as BJP and Congress too had appointed their lawmakers as parliamentary secretaries in Delhi and other states. The Delhi government released an order dated May 7, 1997 through which the then BJP government under Sahib Singh had appointed Nand Kishore Garg as parliamentary secretary, AAP said and accused the ruling party at the Centre of "doublespeak". Kejriwal tweeted, "Modi is only scared of AAP. He sees AAP everywhere - in the morning, evening, during daytime and in night." Pandey claimed that earlier Supreme Court orders "make itclear" that a post will be considered office of profit only if monetary gains are involved and that AAP's parliamentary secretaries never drew salaries or allowances.