New Delhi: A heated session in the Delhi Assembly saw 12 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Atishi, being suspended for the day after they protested against the alleged removal of BR Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh’s portraits from the Chief Minister’s office. The session, which began on Day 2, was soon disrupted as AAP legislators raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaker Vijender Gupta ordered their suspension, leading to further tensions within the House. The Assembly had to be adjourned for 30 minutes as the situation escalated.

Following the suspension, Atishi accused the BJP of disrespecting Ambedkar’s legacy, questioning whether the party believed Prime Minister Narendra Modi could replace the architect of India’s Constitution. Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, she claimed that the BJP-led administration had removed Ambedkar’s portrait from both the Delhi Secretariat and the Assembly. In protest, suspended AAP MLAs gathered outside the Assembly premises, holding Ambedkar’s portraits and chanting slogans such as “Babasaheb ka ye apmaan nahin sahega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate this insult to Babasaheb). The controversy comes just weeks after the BJP’s victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, adding fuel to the ongoing political rivalry between the two parties.

Meanwhile, the Assembly was also set to table 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, a move approved by newly elected Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in her first Cabinet meeting. The BJP’s decision to address governance issues alongside handling political tensions signals its intent to consolidate power in Delhi. However, with AAP determined to continue its protests over the Ambedkar portrait controversy, the political standoff in the capital shows no signs of easing.