Delhi Metro fare hike: BJP MLAs marshalled out of assembly before discussion

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia speaks in the Delhi Assembly on Monday. (Source: PTI Photo)

A discussion on the proposed metro fare hike got off to a rocky start in the Delhi Assembly on Monday with two BJP MLAs, who sought an apology from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for using “foul language” during a recent debate on guest teachers, being marshalled out of the House.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel ordered that Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Om Prakash Sharma be marshalled out as the BJP MLAs kept raising the issue despite his repeated requests to stick to the agenda of fare hike, for which the day-long special session has been convened.

This prompted a walkout by the other two BJP MLAs, Vijender Gupta and Jagdish Pradhan. Sirsa alleged that Kejriwal’s statement in the House, during the October 4 debate on guest teachers, directed at the BJP was “derogatory and insulting to women”.

Goel, in his response, said the BJP was merely trying to divert attention from the issue of metro fare hike. “You are taking Delhi towards destruction,” he said at one point, as AAP MLAs collectively derided Sirsa.

Intervening in the debate, Gupta sought to know why the Delhi government, which has been opposing the fare hike, was not reducing value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel, which will lead to a further fall in fuel prices in the city.

Goel said he will ensure that VAT is reduced provided the Centre manages to withhold the proposed fare hike of metro.