Delhi: Speaker throws out AAP dissident

Dissident AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar on Monday was marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly after he raised the issue of lakhs of government school students having “failed” the mid-term exams.

The action was taken after Mr Pushkar persistently raised the issue, which was seen by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel as disruption of House proceedings.

“Out of 3 lakh Class 9 students studying in Delhi government schools, 2.5 lakh students failed the mid-term exams. The government doesn’t want to allow me to take up this issue in the Assembly,” Mr Pushkar said.

The Timarpur MLA, who is an active member of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan-run Swaraj Abhiyan, accused the government of having “failed” to provide better education to children.

“With the failing of lakhs of students you can well imagine what type of education is being imparted in govt schools,” he said.

Mr Pushkar also attacked Mr Goel saying the Speaker was “misusing his post by not allowing him to speak.”

Mr Pushkar termed the recently tabled education bills as an “eyewash” and alleged that they were being introduced “on the behest of private schools.”

Also around 40 suspended AAP members and about 100 party members not invited to its national council meeting staged a protest outside the venue of the meeting on Monday.

According to the protesters, they were not allowed to attend the meeting. A few suspended members said they were told about their suspension by a letter when they reached the venue. The protest started after they were prohibited from joining the national council meeting.

However, sources clarified that the protesters had been informed by letter about their suspension and that the protests were the outcome of anger and disappointment.