Delhi Assembly committee to recommend Sharma's expulsion

The Ethics Committee of Delhi Assembly has decided to recommend stripping off BJP MLA O P Sharma's membership of the House in connection with a case of using "sexist remarks" against a woman AAP legislator, days after he was caught assaulting a CPI activist in a court here.
Sharma, a first time MLA who was arrested in the assault case yesterday, called the move "an attack on democracy", adding he had an indication about the recommendations five months ago as the committee has only AAP MLAs.
In November last year, the Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had suspended Sharma for rest of the Winter Session for using derogatory language against AAP MLA Alka Lamba inside the House. Goel had also referred the matter to the Ethics Committee of the House for further probe.

Sources said the Ethics Committee of the House has decided to recommend expulsion of the BJP MLA from the Assembly in connection with the case.
They said the recommendations in the case are likely to be tabled in the House during its Budget Session next month and that a final decision will be taken on Sharma's membership by the Assembly.
They further said that the Committee has held that BJP legislator is a "habitual offender" besides being "unapologetic" over his "misbehavior".

"The Committee in its several meetings had given Sharma an opportunity to apologise to Lamba, but he refused to do so. Since Sharma refused to apologise to Lamba, the committee has concluded that his conduct is unbecoming.

"In view of this, the committee will recommend that the BJP legislator be expelled from the Delhi Assembly," the sources said.
Slamming the move, Sharma said, "I had an indication about the move five months ago because the committee consists of AAP MLAs. The recommendation to expel me from the Delhi Assembly is an attack on democracy."
In December, the Delhi Assembly had passed a resolution on recovering Rs 18,560 from Sharma's salary towards the cost incurred in replacing a mike he had damaged during Budget session and warned him not to repeat such action.
Sharma was caught on camera beating a CPI activist at Patiala House court complex on Monday. He was arrested for the assault yesterday and released on bail.

He was questioned for around eight hours at the Tilak Marg police station in connection with the case.