Delhi Assembly Panel Issues Final Warning to Punjab Officials Over Privilege Breach Complaints
The Committee of Privileges of the Delhi Legislative Assembly has granted a final opportunity to three senior Punjab government officials to submit their responses regarding complaints of breach of privilege and contempt. The officials include the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Punjab, the Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab, and the Commissioner of Police of Jalandhar. They must provide their replies by February 20, 2024.
Background of the Case and Initial Notices
This development stems from an FIR registered by the Jalandhar commissionerate police concerning an alleged doctored video clip. The video was posted by Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra and others, and it involved remarks attributed to former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi regarding Sikh Gurus. The committee had previously issued notices to the officers on February 5, 2024, with an initial deadline for replies set for February 12. However, as of Saturday, February 15, the committee had not received any comments from the officials.
Final Letters and Strict Warnings from the Committee
On Saturday, the Delhi Assembly Secretary sent fresh letters to the three officers, emphasizing that this constitutes a final chance to comply. The letters explicitly stated that matters of privilege are personal responsibilities and must not be treated as routine departmental correspondence. Any delay in submission will not be excused. Furthermore, the committee warned that failure or refusal to furnish the requested information or documents inherently constitutes a breach of privilege and contempt of the assembly.
The letter addressed to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) specifically requested several documents, including a copy of the complaint and enclosures that led to the FIR registration, a copy of the FIR itself, the report from the social media expert of the Punjab Police's technical cell, and the report from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) of Punjab. The committee noted that neither the comments nor these documents were received within the stipulated timeframe.
Punjab Home Department's Response and Clarifications
In a communication dated Friday, the office of the Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home) informed the Delhi Assembly Secretariat that prior to receiving the February 5 notice, the home department had not directly received any correspondence from the Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat. The department clarified that comments from the Punjab DGP, Jalandhar CP, and FSL director were submitted in response to letters directly addressed to them by the Delhi Assembly Secretariat. These were forwarded by the home department after obtaining approval from the competent authority.
The Punjab home department also indicated that a formal reply from the Additional Chief Secretary is pending approval from the competent authority and will be sent once approved. Additionally, the department forwarded a communication from the Punjab DGP to the ACS (Home), stating that written comments had already been submitted to the Delhi Assembly Secretary with state government approval and seeking further instructions.
Details of the FIR and Political Reactions
The FIR in this case was registered late on January 7, 2024, shortly after leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Congress shared the video. The complainant, Iqbal Singh alias I S Bagga, a worker of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), named Kapil Mishra, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Congress MLAs Pargat Singh and Sukhpal Singh Khaira, and other persons in his complaint. However, the police did not explicitly list them as accused in the FIR. A police statement issued on January 9 regarding the FIR prompted a strong reaction from the Delhi Speaker on the same day.
Key Timeline of Events
- January 7: FIR registered in Jalandhar over the alleged doctored video involving Atishi.
- January 9: Police statement draws a strong reaction from the Delhi Speaker.
- February 5: Delhi Assembly privileges panel issues notices to Punjab ACS (Home), DGP, and Jalandhar CP.
- February 12: Initial deadline for replies lapses without submission.
- February 15: Panel sends fresh letters, terming it a final opportunity.
- February 20: New deadline for submission of replies by the officials.
This case highlights ongoing tensions between Delhi and Punjab authorities, with the privileges committee asserting its authority to investigate potential breaches involving interstate matters. The final opportunity granted underscores the seriousness with which the assembly views compliance in privilege issues.
