Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, along with other Opposition members, continued to stay on the Parliament lawns for the night to protest Mr. Singh’s suspension. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Singh linked his suspension to the government’s alleged fear of losing the vote on the controversial Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The Bill replaces an Ordinance that takes away the elected Delhi government’s authority on bureaucracy and hands it over to the Lieutenant-Governor.
“It is very clear that my suspension was pre-planned. The government is afraid, especially more so after the formation of INDIA [a coalition of 26-parties], that it will lose the vote on the black law [Delhi Ordinance]. I have no doubt the Bill will still be defeated,” he said.
While Mr. Singh will spend the night in Parliament, the other leaders are taking turns to be with him. He further pointed out that there are 27 notices to debate the Manipur issue under Rule 267 and that he was not the only protesting MP to be in the well. He added, “The question is what did we say wrong? It is shameful that the Prime Minister continues to be silent, when the wife of a soldier who participated in the Kargil War is stripped naked and paraded. Are we to keep quiet in face of such dastardly acts?”
