Delhi Assembly Privileges Committee Issues Final Deadline to Punjab Officials in Atishi Case
The Committee of Privileges of the Delhi Legislative Assembly has taken a firm stance, directing three senior Punjab government officials to submit their written responses by February 20 in a privilege matter concerning alleged remarks attributed to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionary Atishi.
Strict Deadline and Potential Consequences
An official statement emphasized that this represents the final opportunity for the officials to furnish the comments and material requested by the committee. The panel has specifically demanded that the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Punjab, the Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab, and the Commissioner of Police of Jalandhar comply with this directive.
The committee has requested precise documentation from the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Punjab, including copies of the original complaint and its enclosures that formed the basis for the First Information Report (FIR), the FIR itself, and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report related to the case.
All replies and documents must be submitted within the stipulated timeframe for proper consideration under the Rules of Procedure governing the assembly. The official warning was clear: failure to meet this deadline may be treated as a breach of privilege and contempt of the legislative body.
Origin of the Privilege Matter
This development stems from complaints of breach of privilege that were formally filed in January regarding alleged remarks made by Atishi on the floor of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. The controversy intensified when police registered an FIR based on a complaint alleging that a manipulated version of a video clip containing Atishi's assembly remarks had been circulated.
The circulated clip reportedly contained content that was deemed objectionable and disrespectful toward Sikh Gurus, sparking significant concern and investigation. The Committee of Privileges is now thoroughly examining the entire matter, which includes scrutinizing the conduct of the concerned authorities involved in the case.
Political Reactions and AAP's Defense
Meanwhile, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj has raised pointed questions about the authority under which the BJP government asked the Punjab DGP to appear before the Delhi Assembly's Privileges Committee. Bharadwaj highlighted what he described as a contradiction, noting that the BJP had previously claimed that state assemblies lacked such powers to summon officials from other states.
The Aam Aadmi Party has consistently reiterated its position that Atishi made no insulting remarks during her assembly address. The party maintains that the controversy stems from misinterpretation and manipulation of her statements, rather than any actual disrespectful content in her original speech.
The Committee of Privileges continues its detailed examination of all aspects of this case, balancing legislative authority with inter-state jurisdictional considerations in what has become a politically charged investigation.
