2 MLAs claim threat to lives

Claiming “threat” to his life, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta on Tuesday submitted a letter to the Speaker and to the commissioner of police in this regard.

Aam Aadmi Party legislator Pankaj Pushkar, who has sided with expelled party members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav in their criticism against the draft Janlokpal Bill that was tabled in the House on Monday, also claimed threat to his life from fellow MLAs and submitted a letter to the Speaker.

Citing three separate incidents, two during the ongoing session of the Vidhan Sabha, Mr Gupta said that he felt “insecure” under such circumstances. “There is a threat to my life,” he wrote in his letter to Speaker Ram Niwas Goel.

Mr Gupta claimed that he was mobbed by four to five persons near Pandara Park area on the night of November 28. “They tried to drag me out of my car and hurled abuses when my driver drove away. Anything could have happened to me,” he said.

He also cited the November 24 incident in the Assembly and alleged that about 20 AAP MLAs “charged on and abused” him and fellow BJP MLAs during a discussion in the House. The AAP MLAs on November 24 were enraged over alleged “derogatory” words used by BJP MLA O.P. Sharma against their colleague Alka Lamba. Mr Gupta added that he was again threatened on November 30 and was marshaled out of the House. He said he sustained injuries when he was evicted from the House. “I made a PCR call and went to the Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital,” he added.

Mr Gupta has urged the Speaker to take proper action on the “facts” cited by him. He has also demanded that the November 24 incident be referred to the ethics committee of the House.