Speaker refers matter to Privileges Committee, Kejriwal, Sisodia to be summoned

Earlier, the Speaker had dismissed the claims of the previous AAP government that the structure, which was renovated and inaugurated in 2022 by then chief minister Kejriwal as a phansi ghar was actually a “tiffin room” as per records. Displaying a 1912 map of the Assembly complex, he had said on Wednesday that there was no documentation or evidence indicating that the space was used for executions.

“We gave the Opposition three days to present their position, but their silence proves that this was a deliberate fraud. After consulting the Indian Council for Historical Research, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, National Archives, and historians, the House has come to the conclusion that there was neither a hanging room nor a tunnel,” the Speaker said.

“As the matter is related to patriotism and emotions, the House has decided to remove the phansi ghar and restore the Assembly premises. I am sending the matter to the Privileges Committee to investigate… It will summon the former CM, Deputy CM, Speaker, and Deputy Speaker, as the so-called phansi ghar was inaugurated under their guidance and presence,” he added.

He also said that the plaque of the “fake” phansi ghar should be removed. “The plaque bearing Kejriwal and Sisodia’s names outside phansi ghar will be removed. The 1912 map depicting it as tiffin room will also be displayed,” he said in the House.

Gupta reiterated his allegation that “falsehood” was spread in the name of Phansi Ghar and history was distorted. “When we were in the Opposition, we were led to believe that there was an execution room here. We were also emotionally connected to the site,” he recalled.

However, after becoming the Speaker, he conducted a thorough research and it was discovered that the structure in question was actually a ‘tiffin ghar’ (lunch room), which was “deeply upsetting”, Gupta said.

He further said that the previous AAP government spent crores on this “fake” phansi ghar and its advertisement.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said it was “highly condemnable” that a place where people would have consumed non-vegetarian food was called phansi ghar. “This was a place where the British used to eat meat… AAP has hurt the sentiments of people by connecting it to martyrs… this is an insult to the martyrs.”

Built in 1912, the Delhi Assembly premises was originally meant to house the Imperial Legislative Council. It later served as the Central Legislative Assembly after 1919.