Lalitgate causes ruckus in Delhi assembly, Arvind Kejriwal asks PM to take action against Swaraj, Raje

The raging controversy involving Lalit Modi became the reason of a major ruckus in the Delhi assembly on Tuesday with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal calling on the Prime Minister to take action against external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje for their alleged role in aiding the former IPL chairman. The targeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi infuriated the three BJP MLAs. When they protested, on MLA was marshalled out of the assembly after he showed aggression towards the CM.

The verbal attack by Kejriwal on the NDA government came on the first day of budget session of the state assembly which started with the BJP insisting that the Delhi CM give an explanation on the issue of alleged fake degree of former law minister Jitender Singh Tomar, who is currently in Tihar Jail. The three-member opposition persisted on their demand of an apology from Kejriwal forcing Speaker Ram Niwas Goel to adjourn the House for 15 minutes to restore order. Kejriwal rose to reply on the Tomar issue soon after the House was convened.

"The moment the issue of fake degree surfaced in the media, I called on Mr Tomar to seek an explanation. I was, however, kept in the dark the whole time. Soon after the arrested (Tomar's), his resignation was immediately accepted by my office. When will the Prime Minister take action against his ministers," said Kejriwal before being interrupted several times by the opposition leaders. He continued, "Prime Minister Modi must take necessary action against Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje".

The opposition however refused to budge. "Two of your former ex-law ministers are facing serious charges in the court of law. Will you care to explain your position. You won the Delhi elections by raising the issue of corruption but when one of your own minister is involved in similar crimes you choose to remain silent," said BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma, while referring to Tomar's fake degree case and the allegations of domestic violence against Somnath Bharti, the law minister in AAP's previous government.

Sharma then rushed into the well of the House forcing the speaker to order marshals to take him out. An undeterred Sharma walked towards Kejriwal's seat aggressively and shouted at him pointing a finger before finally being marshalled out. While the AAP legislators clapped on seeing Sharma being taken out, the remaining two MLA's spent most part of the session sitting on the floor of the house in protest.

"The way Om Prakash rose from his seat and ran towards the chief minister is not acceptable. I gave him a chance to speak and even adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the chief minister is answering then why not listen to him? I can take strict action against him," the speaker said addressing the remaining BJP MLAs.

The state Congress, however, backed the BJP and criticised the AAP dispensation calling the act of marshalling out an MLA as a shameful act. The ensuing ruckus, however, did not deter the AAP government from tabling three bills before the Legislative House without any opposition. AAP enjoys a majority in the House, having won 67 of 70 seats in the state assembly elections earlier this year.