BJP MLA fails to say sorry, panel to meet again soon

Ethics committee puts off decision on his expulsion

A defiant BJP legislator O P Sharma refused to apologise before the Delhi Assembly’s Ethics Committee on Monday even as the panel put off by two days its decision to recommend his expulsion from the House over misbehaviour.

Due to absence of two members of the Ethics Committee on Monday the final decision to send the recommendation for expulsion of Sharma to Speaker Ram Niwas Goel could not be taken up, said sources.

The panel postponed its meeting till Wednesday for taking the key decision for penalising Sharma for using derogatory language against a lawmaker, said sources.

AAP functionaries said the Ethics Committee during its meeting took note of the fact that Sharma had ignored five opportunities given to him to apologise for his remarks against Chandni Chowk legislator Alka Lamba during the Assembly proceedings in November 2015.

Before sending their recommendation to Speaker Ram Niwas Goel for expulsion of Sharma, the committee also took on record the fact that despite several opportunities Sharma did not offer any regret for this remarks.

Goel is likely to forward the committee’s suggestion to  Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. Sharma said the committee is biased against him.

“Why should I apologise for something I have not done. The whole episode around the allegations that I used derogatory words against AAP legislator Alka Lamba is a gimmick,” he said.

“I praised the legislators visits to night shelters late in the night and my critics are trying to read too much into my appreciation for Lamba,” said Sharma, referring to the ruckus his comment caused in the Assembly in November.

“Apart from difference in interpretation of my remark, the AAP-dominated panel is trying to punish me for something for which I have already faced action like suspension from the session,” he said. “The insecure AAP government wants to reduce the BJP’s strength in the Assembly from three to two,” he said.

He said the report of the Ethics Committee would end up gathering dust like the nearly dozen wasteful Bills passed by the AAP government.

The Vishwas Nagar legislator, who was also involved in controversy over allegedly beating up JNU student sympathisers at a court last week, said he had full faith in the Constitution and his membership of the Assembly was safe due to the multiple remedies he has despite the adverse recommendation of he committee.

The 10-member committee headed by Badarpur legislator N D Sharma also described O P Sharma as a habitual offender.

Members of the committee were tight-lipped about the developments on Monday and cited the need to maintain secrecy about  its contents till it is tabled in the House.

One member hinted about the outcome by saying, “O P Sharma did not apologise despite the last opportunity given to him.”

Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta of the BJP slammed the Ethics Committee’s action.  “The recommendation against Sharma is prejudicial. The working of the Ethics Committee is influenced by vengeance against the BJP. He was not impartially heard during the proceedings of the committee,” he said.