New Delhi
Legislators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday forced multiple adjournments of House proceedings on Day 3 of the Winter Session, as they staged protests and demanded the cancellation of the membership of the leader of the Opposition, Atishi, for allegedly “disrespecting” Sikh guru Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Atishi was not at the assembly on the day, and multiple appeals from the Speaker to clarify her position went unanswered. After the AAP informed the Speaker that she was visiting Goa, cabinet ministers submitted a letter to the Speaker, demanding a criminal case in the matter, and revocation of her assembly membership.
Meanwhile, a legislative agenda ranging from tabling of CAG reports, action on the privilege committee report, Jan Vishwas Bill, amendment to Delhi Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Bill, as well as a discussion on the air pollution crisis being faced by Delhi, remained on hold.
The tussle between the BJP and AAP started on Tuesday, during a scheduled discussion on the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur. BJP MLAs accused Atishi of using “insensitive words” in connection with the Sikh guru and demanded a public apology. The specific remarks were not clear in the official audio feed.
The purported remarks were presented in a written submission, alongside the letter written by the ministers.
The AAP, in response, had denied any disrespect, stating their demand to discuss pollution was made only after the motion on the Guru had concluded.
On Wednesday, the BJP MLAs, carrying posters and shouting slogans against AAP, trooped into the Well of the House when the session began at 11am. After two adjournments, the Speaker gave Atishi an hour to appear before the House and clarify her remarks.
AAP MLA Mukesh Ahlawat informed the Speaker that Atishi had left the city for Goa, where she was the AAP’s party in-charge. Speaker Gupta expressed dismay that after demanding debate on air pollution every day, the LoP decided to leave Delhi on the day when the air pollution debate was scheduled.
Several ruling party members, including the ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ashish Sood and Kapil Mishra, slammed Atishi.
Sirsa said, “Atishi should be ashamed. Insult of Guru Tegh Bahadur by her is an attack on the faith of us devotees.”
Delhi law minister Kapil Mishra posted a video of Atishi speaking in the assembly on X and posted, “The Assembly was honouring the Gurus tomorrow when Leader of Opposition Atishi used very indecent and shameful language.”
Taking to X, Atishi, said “BJP has deliberately misused the name of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. They tweeted a video in which two false claims were made. The video is being projected as if it pertains to the discussion marking 350 years of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. In reality, this video is from a later point, after that discussion had concluded.
She further added, “In the video, I am clearly speaking about the BJP trying to evade a discussion on pollution and about their protest in the Assembly over the issue of stray dogs…However, the BJP maliciously added a false subtitle and dragged Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s name into it.”
Senior AAP leader and Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia posted on X, “When the ‘Bharatiya Jhootha Party’ descends into lies, even shame does not stand in its way. The statement made by the LoP in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, has been deliberately chopped, maliciously edited, and repackaged with poisonous intent to manufacture an entirely new lie…”
AAP MLA Gopal Rai said, “But no video has been produced so far.” Rai alleged that the BJP was raising the issue to avoid a debate on pollution in the city.