The political tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over a controversial video clip allegedly involving an insult to Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur took a dramatic institutional turn on Saturday. Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta escalated the confrontation by issuing formal notices to senior Punjab Police officials, accusing them of breaching the assembly's privilege.
Notices Sent to Top Police Brass
Speaker Vijender Gupta sent notices to the Punjab Police Director General of Police (DGP), the Special DGP for Cybercrime, and the Police Commissioner of Jalandhar. He has demanded their replies within 48 hours. The action stems from the Punjab Police's use of the Delhi Assembly's official video footage for a forensic examination and subsequently registering a First Information Report (FIR) based on that material.
Gupta, addressing a press conference, stated unequivocally that the video recording is the exclusive property of the Delhi Assembly. "The video... is not a personal recording but the official recording of the proceedings of the house, which is wholly the property of Delhi Assembly," he asserted. He condemned the police's actions as "not only unfortunate but also extremely serious and condemnable."
The Core of the Controversy
The dispute originates from a clip shared on social media platform X by BJP minister Kapil Mishra. The clip purportedly shows AAP minister Atishi making derogatory remarks about Guru Tegh Bahadur. The AAP has fiercely contested the clip's authenticity, claiming the attached transcript is fabricated and that the BJP's actions themselves constitute an insult to the Guru.
In response, the BJP demanded Atishi's disqualification from the assembly. Speaker Gupta has already ordered a forensic probe to verify the video's authenticity and referred the matter to the assembly's privilege committee. Simultaneously, the AAP has demanded the disqualification of BJP's Kapil Mishra.
Accusations of Conspiracy and Intimidation
The conflict intensified on Friday when it was revealed that the Punjab Police had registered an FIR in Jalandhar related to the clip. Gupta singled out the Jalandhar Police Commissioner's role, calling it "highly questionable" and a "clear case of breach of privilege." He warned that the house would consider it seriously.
Gupta framed the allegations of tampering as a direct assault. "This is not merely a false allegation but appears to be a well-planned conspiracy aimed at undermining the prestige of the house and maligning constitutional institutions," he said, promising strict action against anyone involved.
AAP Delhi convener Saurabh Bharadwaj countered, calling the use of privilege power "casual and irresponsible." He argued that once legislative proceedings are in the public domain, they are open to scrutiny. "The real offence lay not in questioning a public video but in tampering it," Bharadwaj stated, adding that anyone aggrieved, including Sikh followers, had the right to file a case.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva entered the fray, claiming that the Punjab Police and its state government had no jurisdiction to act on the issue. Meanwhile, AAP workers held protests across Punjab on Saturday, and a group also visited Rajghat to pray and demonstrate against the BJP over the matter.
The standoff now pits the constitutional privilege of a legislative assembly against the investigative powers of a state police force, setting the stage for a significant legal and political showdown.
