BJP MLAs marshalled out of special House session

New Delhi: High drama unfolded during the special Delhi Assembly session on Monday on proposed Metro fare hike when two BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the House for seeking an apology from chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for using “foul language” during a debate on guest teachers last week.

Speaker R.N. Goel ordered that Manjinder Singh Sirsa and O.P. Sharma be marshalled out as they kept raising the issue despite repeated requests to stick to the agenda (Metro fare hike) for which the one-day session was convened. This prompted a walkout by two other BJP MLAs, Vijender Gupta and Jagdish Pradhan from the session.

The House passed a resolution to withhold the proposed Metro fare revision, a day before the hike is to come into effect.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia alleged that the move was a “conspiracy” to benefit private cab operators. The resolution, which was moved by transport minister Kailash Gahlot, was passed by a voice vote.

Without naming the Centre, Mr Sisodia said that there was an attempt to make the Delhi Metro “premium public transport”, but the AAP government would not allow it. During a discussion on the resolution, he said, “The Delhi Metro is being run by the money of people who don’t want fares to be increased. A conspiracy is being hatched so that ‘Ola’ and ‘Uber’ cabs will be benefited,” Mr Sisodia told the House.

He argued that if the metro fares were expensive, people would shift to cabs, resulting in an increase in pollution levels in the city. The AAP has been opposing the proposed hike; on Sunday, Mr Kejriwal had even offered to take over the Metro if the Centres agrees.