Day 2 OF Winter session of Delhi Assembly: BJP, AAP spar over ‘disrespect’ to Guru Tegh Bahadur

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that while they were discussing Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice, Leader of Opposition Atishi suggested taking up a discussion on pollution first, terming the same “disrespectful” to the Sikh Guru.

Demanding an apology, Sirsa said that “any disrespectful or improper word, regardless of intent, amounts to sin. Speaking such words alongside Guru Sahib’s name is an act of dishonor and demands a public apology…that the government has already scheduled a dedicated session to discuss pollution and other pressing issues, but diverting a sacred discussion on martyrdom was unacceptable”.

He also supported the government’s proposal to bring a formal resolution of condemnation on the matter.

Education Minister Ashish Sood and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, also demanding an apology from AAP, said they would move a condemnation in the next session.

AAP leaders, however, denied the allegation, maintaining that there was no intention to insult the Guru and that the issue had been “misconstrued”.

Speaker Vijender Gupta, meanwhile, said that he would check the recordings, examine the matter and get back to the matter in the next session.

BJP MLAs on Tuesday also accused AAP legislators of “spreading lies” by falsely stating that directions were issued requiring school teachers to count stray dogs and demanded an apology. Sood also wrote a letter to former Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of making “wrong and misleading statements” on the matter.

Tuesday also saw the Privileges Committee submitting a report on the Phansi Ghar row, in the Assembly. It recommended that the House may take proper action, as deemed fit, against Kejriwal, former speaker Ram Niwas Goel, AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and former deputy speaker Rakhi Birla for not attending sittings of the committee held on November 13 and 20, without cause or permission.

In its response to the matter, AAP said, “BJP government has turned the entire Assembly session into a distraction exercise to avoid one issue…it is most afraid of discussing pollution. Beyond pollution, they are willing to discuss everything…a serious debate on pollution will expose its failures before the entire country and the world. That is why it is eager to talk about the so-called ‘Phansi Ghar’ issue, but refuses to allow a discussion on pollution.”

BJP and AAP MLAs on Tuesday also protested outside the Assembly.