AAP MLA Alka Lamba 'ready to resign' over Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna row

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Alka Lamba said on Friday night she will tender her resignation as "demanded" by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not supporting a resolution in the assembly on revoking late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The Delhi Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in which it was demanded that the Bharat Ratna awarded to Rajiv Gandhi be withdrawn. Reportedly, AAP MLA Jarnail Singh mentioned Rajiv Gandhi's name in the Assembly and while elaborating on the resolution, demanded that the Bharat Ratna to the former prime minister be withdrawn for "justifying anti-Sikh riots".

Lamba alleged that she was "put under pressure" to support the resolution, which she resisted and boycotted.

In a tweet, she said, "I was asked to support the resolution demanding taking back the Bharat Ratna awarded to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Since I didn't agree to this, I staged a walk out. I am ready to accept whatever punishment is given to me." 

The Chandni Chowk MLA claimed that AAP supremo Kejriwal asked her to resign as MLA. She said she was ready to face "any consequences". 

"After I staged a walkout, I got a message from the chief minister to tender my resignation," she told PTI. "I am ready to do so."

The former Youth Congress leader said she was not happy with the demand to take back Bharat Ratna from Gandhi and staged a walkout in protest.

When asked whether she will quit, Lamba added, "I have won on a party ticket. I will tender my resignation as demanded by the party."

Interestingly, the AAP also distanced itself from the reference to the late PM.

Party spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj told ANI that AAP's original resolution did not include the clause seeking withdrawal of Bharat Ratna conferred to Rajiv Gandhi. And that party leader Somnath Bharti scribbled an amendment.

"Original resolution prepared by us had demands of declaring 1984 riots as genocide creating a special law so that strict punishment can be given to perpetrators and creating fast-track courts to try such heinous crimes," he said.

"Somnath Bharti scribbled an amendment about Rajiv Gandhi, it wasn't part of the original resolution. Original resolution with demands of declaring 1984 riots as genocide and fast-track courts has been passed. The proposal by Bharti remained proposal and couldn't be passed," he added.

While some other senior AAP leaders also distanced themselves from the controversy, Lamba's behaviour did not go down well with the party leadership, after which they took the action, party sources said. 

(With agencies)