New Delhi: A jubilant chief minister Arvind Kejriwal hailed the Delhi high court’s order of setting aside the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs in the “politically sensitive” office-of-profit case and said it was a “victory of truth” even as Congress vowed to keep on fighting the matter afresh.
Hours after the high court set aside the disqualification of the 20 AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) legislators, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel allowed the MLAs to enter the House and take part in the ongoing Budget Session, following which ten AAP MLAs attended the session amid chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ by fellow legislators.
AAP MLAs Nitin Tyagi, Alka Lamba, Som Dutt, Rajesh Gupta, and Rajesh Rishi were among those who attended the Budget Session after their disqualification was set aside.
The MLAs said that the development work will speed up in their respective constituencies after the Delhi high court order. Most of the MLAs alleged that Delhi government officers did not take their phone calls since their disqualification on January 20.
Asked whether he also has faith in the Election Commission (EC), which will now hear the office-of-profit case afresh, transport minister Kailash Gahlot said he has faith in the poll panel and the MLAs will present their stand and make EC understand the matter.
An elated AAP welcomed the order but claimed that the EC’s decision was a “serious attempt to dislodge” an elected government.
“It is a victory of truth. The elected representatives were wrongfully disqualified. The high court has given justice to the people of Delhi. It is their victory. Congratulations to the people of Delhi,” Mr Kejriwal tweeted minutes after the HC order.
AAP leader Ashutosh said the decision of the poll panel to disqualify the MLAs, for allegedly holding office of profit, was an attempt to hijack the mandate of the people.
“If the post of constitutional authority is occupied by pygmies, democracy won’t be safe. The EC’s decision was a serious attempt to dislodge a duly elected AAP government and an attempt to hijack the mandate of the people. The EC’s decision was not only constitutionally invalid, it also exposes how low the constitutional authority can stoop,” Ashutosh alleged.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, the chief spokesperson of AAP’s Delhi unit, said the MLAs would now be able to take part in the ongoing Budget Session and resume their legislative work.
