O P Sharma asked to appear before House Privileges Committee

New Delhi, Aug 8: The House Privileges Committee of Delhi Assembly has summoned Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Om Prakash Sharma to appear before it for calling MLA Amanatullah Khan as a terrorist. The committee summoned him to appear before it at 12 in the noon. Privilege Committee is a quasi judicial authority.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had referred the matter to the House Privilege Committee on August 6. Goel also expunged the word used by Sharma from House proceedings.

Sources said that the committee has the authority to take action against anyone. The strength of Delhi Assembly is lopsided with just four member of the BJP in the Assembly. The controversy was courted on August 6 when BJP MLA called Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amanatullah Khan a terrorist in Delhi Assembly. "Stop talking like a terrorist," Sharma told Khan, while speaking in the Assembly.

Sharma was speaking in the Assembly about water shortage in his constituency. He had criticised government officers during his speech. The BJP MLA reportedly referred AAP MLAs as 'gundas' and claimed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is supportive of terrorists.

Deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia demanded apology from him. He claimed that the BJP is trying to dub Muslims as terrorists. "This is not the question of an MLA. How can he use such words in the House? It shows the mentality the BJP. Strict action should be taken against him," Sisodia asserted.