AAP holds overnight 'dharna' at Delhi Assembly, demands L-G's suspension
Amid its ongoing face-off with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has held overnight protests at the Delhi Assembly. It demanded Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's suspension over alleged corruption during his tenure as the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) chairman. BJP legislators, too, held an overnight sit-in and raised slogans against AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain.
Why does this story matter?
The BJP and AAP have been embroiled in a scathing political battle over alleged corruption in the Delhi liquor policy. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided Delhi Deputy CM Sisodia in the same case earlier in August. The latest developments come at a time when central agency (CBI/ED/IT) raids against opposition leaders have raised concerns about their misuse by the BJP-led central government.
AAP demands CBI probe in overnight protests
The AAP held the dharna on Monday night, hours after CM Arvind Kejriwal tabled a trust vote. Its legislators camped overnight to protest against Saxena, who allegedly pressured employees to exchange demonetized currency worth Rs. 1,400 while heading the KVIC in 2016. Through slogans, music, and placards, sitting at the Mahatma Gandhi statue, they also demanded a CBI probe against the Lieutenant Governor.
AAP MLAs at the Delhi Assembly
'Suspend the L-G until the CBI probe'
As Kejriwal's party pressed for a probe, its MLAs sang Hum Honge Kamyaab and Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram and raised slogans against Saxena, who has been at loggerheads with the Delhi government. Other legislators joined the choir by strumming the guitar and playing drums. "We want the CBI to investigate this ghotala... Saxena should be suspended till then," AAP MLA Atishi reportedly said.
Watch: AAP's musical protests against L-G Saxena
Saffron party joins overnight protests
Meanwhile, BJP MLAs held their overnight dharna at the Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru, and Sukhdev statues inside the Assembly premises and demanded the suspension of Sisodia and Jain. The saffron party also protested against the suspension of its eight MLAs, who were marshaled out of the house on Monday amid a ruckus. The BJP also will reportedly approach President Droupadi Murmu over this issue.
Watch: BJP counters AAP in overnight dharna
Kejriwal to face trust vote
Furthermore, Kejriwal is set to undergo a trust vote on Tuesday when the Assembly commences at 11:00 am. "The BJP tried to buy our legislators too. Through this confidence motion, we wanted to show...that no AAP MLA has been bought," he said, tabling the motion on Monday. Last week, the AAP alleged the BJP offered Rs. 20 crore to their MLAs to roll over.
