‘Woman of the night’ backlash: AAP workers protest after OP Sharma’s sexist remarks at AAP MLA Alka Lamba

On Tuesday, AAP party workers protested outside the MLA’s house with regard to his sexist remarks against Alka Lamba

Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker, O P Sharma was suspended from the Delhi assembly for marking derogatory and sexist remarks about Aam Aadmi Party MLA, Alka Lamba on Tuesday.

According to reports, the Chandni Chowk MLA will remain under suspension till Thursday. He represents east Delhi’s Vishwas Nagar assembly constituency. BJP is often embroiled in some controversy or the other. Just last month, on 22 October, a local BJP leader in Daman was suspended from the party for allegedly assaulting a woman councillor, according to an report.

The MLA’s remarks as “Ye toh Raat Bhar ghumne wali”. According to the Speaker, Ram Niwas Goel, the remarks couldn’t be clearly heard but quoted the BJP MLA as saying that Lamba was a woman who “roams in the night,” the phrase usually has a connotation of a woman of loose morals or a slut.”

This incident occurred during a discussion on the homeless and night shelters. Opposition leader, Vijender Gupta accused the government of not being serious about poor people’s deaths. According to reports Gupta had claimed that 3000 people had died from March to October and Sisodia alleged that during President’s rule, the contract to run shelters was given to a security agency.
Lamba objected to Sharma’s remark and said that the cause of the death of homeless people was drugs and not cold. It is after this that Sharma made the remark against Lamba.

The Hindustan Times quotes the Speaker saying, “I have been observing the behaviour and language of OP Sharma for the past four days. But the language he used for a woman legislator is deplorable and beyond imagination. Despite warnings, OP Sharma did not mend his ways. I also advised the leader of opposition to reign in his colleague but in vain. OP Sharma stands suspended from the House till Thursday.”

This is not the first tussle between the two MLA’s, according to The Hindu’s report, the two MLA’s had locked horns with each other when Lamba had led a ‘raid’ against Sharma’s restaurant leading to allegations and counter allegations.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal expressed his shock and dismay on Twitter:

–Arvind Kejriwal @ArvindKejriwal

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

Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia asked the Speaker to refer the matter to the ethics committee. According to The Indian Express, the AAP MLAs voiced their protest over the remarks and rushed into the well of the House shouting slogans and demanding his expulsion. Party sources told The Hindu that the AAP legislators are seeking for a suspension till the conclusion of the Winter Session and are also ‘considering disciplinary action’ — including a criminal case and cancellation of his membership to the Assembly.