BJP leader suspended from Delhi assembly for derogatory remark

BJP lawmaker O.P. Sharma was suspended from the Delhi assembly for making derogatory remarks about his AAP counterpart Alka Lamba in an incident that led to uproar in the house.

An enraged Lamba, who lunged at Sharma with other AAP legislators, tried to slap him. But it did not connect.

Though Sharma's remarks could not be clearly heard, Delhi assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel quoted Sharma as having termed Lamba "a woman who roams in the night".

Expressing shock at the incident, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hoped the Bharatiya Janata Party would act against Sharma.

"Am shocked at language used by O. P. Sharma, BJP MLA, against a lady MLA. 2 days back also, he abused a lady MLA. Hope BJP will act against him," Kejriwal later tweeted.

Delhi assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said Sharma was suspended till Thursday even as AAP lawmakers demanded he should be barred from the entire winter session, ending November 28.

The incident occurred during a discussion on homeless and night shelters when opposition leader Vijender Gupta accused the AAP government of not being serious about poor people's deaths.

Lamba objected to Gupta's remark, saying the cause of the death of the homeless people was use of drugs not cold.

It was after this that Sharma allegedly made the remark against Lamba.