BJP MLAs protest, seek apology from Kejriwal over remarks on teachers
BJP’s lies on pollution data stand exposed, says Atishi
High drama unfolded in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday as BJP MLAs staged a protest at the Gandhi statue inside the Assembly complex during the ongoing winter session, demanding a public apology from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks on the alleged deployment of teachers for a dog census.
The BJP legislators accused Kejriwal of spreading “misinformation” by claiming that government school teachers were being assigned duties related to a dog census, terming the allegation misleading and insulting to the teaching community. Raising slogans against AAP leaders, the MLAs held placards reading, “Aam Aadmi Party sharam karo. Jhooth aur afwah ki rajneeti band karo” and “Jhooth bolkar shikshakon ko badnaam kiya, Aam Aadmi Party maafi maango.”
During the protest, BJP MLA Sanjay Goyal said Kejriwal’s “politics of lies” was unacceptable. “Calling the deployment of teachers a task like counting dogs is shameful and deeply insulting. Arvind Kejriwal must apologise. Sanjay Singh should also apologise,” Goyal said.
BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar, who raised the issue in the Assembly as well, said, “On January 1, I wrote to the Speaker demanding an apology from AAP leaders. Today, I again raised this in the House, stating clearly that teachers are not being assigned to count dogs. Why is AAP continuing with false propaganda? This politics of deceit must stop.”
Meanwhile, the AAP also held protests within the Assembly premises and on the streets of Delhi, accusing the BJP-led government of avoiding a discussion on air pollution. LoP Atishi said the BJP had made life “unbearable” for Delhi residents due to worsening air quality.
“For the past four months, people have not been able to breathe. Polluted air is damaging lungs, elderly people are losing their lives and children need inhalers to breathe,” Atishi said. She alleged that AAP MLAs were expelled from the House on the first day of the session for wearing masks and seeking a debate on pollution.
On the repeated adjournments of the House, Atishi said time was being wasted deliberately to avoid discussion on pollution. “From the second day onwards, both sides have been protesting, but the House is being adjourned because the BJP does not want a debate on pollution. Their lies on pollution data stand exposed,” she alleged.
Responding to questions on the delay in presenting the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, Atishi said BJP members had been protesting since morning. “Do they not want the CAG report to be presented? We did not adjourn the House. The BJP protested against the opposition,” she said, adding that while the report should be tabled, a discussion on pollution was equally necessary.
