Chaos in Delhi Assembly over Somnath Bharti's resignation
Chaos prevailed in the Delhi Assembly today with BJP legislators demanding Law Minister
Somnath Bharti's resignation for his controversial midnight raid on a building in south Delhi in January.
The four-day assembly session, which began today, has been called for passage of contentious anti-corruption legislation Jan Lokpal Bill and Swaraj Bills by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government. However, attention shifted towards Mr Kejriwal's Law Minister as all BJP legislators started protesting and trooped into the well of the House demanding his resignation.
"The BJP-Congress nexus was exposed today. It was such a coordinated effort by the BJP and the Congress to disrupt the House. This is the first time in history that BJP and Congress have come together like this. It is match-fixing of the worst kind" Mr Kejriwal said.
RP Singh, a BJP legislator from Rajinder Nagar constituency, was seen tearing some papers and throwing them towards Mr Bharti. Amid chaos, the House was adjourned twice.
"Unless the Law Minister is sacked, we will not let the House function," BJP leader Harsh Vardhan said.
Lawmakers from the Congress, which supports the minority government of Arvind Kejriwal but has been extremely critical of the government's policies and processes, were also seen supporting BJP members' demand of Mr Bharti's resignation. They were seen shouting slogans and carrying placards against the minister.
Mr Bharti, a former lawyer, has been in the eye of the storm for carrying out his midnight raid in South Delhi's Khirki Extension area alleging drug trafficking and sex racket by some of African nationals living there.