The second day of the Delhi Legislative Assembly's Winter Session on Tuesday descended into chaos and repeated adjournments as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) engaged in a fierce war of words. The core of the conflict was an allegation by BJP ministers that AAP leaders showed disrespect towards the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, on his 350th martyrdom anniversary.
Allegations of Insult and Demands for Apology
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa led the charge, accusing the Leader of Opposition, Atishi, of being "disrespectful." He claimed that while the house was discussing the supreme sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Atishi suggested prioritizing a discussion on pollution first. Sirsa termed this act a dishonor to the Sikh Guru.
Demanding a public apology from the AAP, Sirsa stated, "Any disrespectful or improper word, regardless of intent, amounts to sin. Speaking such words alongside Guru Sahib’s name is an act of dishonor." He emphasized that the government had already scheduled time for pollution discussions and that diverting a sacred debate on martyrdom was unacceptable. Sirsa supported bringing a formal resolution to condemn the incident.
Education Minister Ashish Sood and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra echoed these demands, stating they would move a condemnation motion in the next session.
AAP's Rebuttal and Counter-Accusations
AAP leaders firmly denied any intention to insult Guru Tegh Bahadur, calling the allegations baseless and claiming their statements were "misconstrued." In a sharp retort, the AAP accused the BJP of using the entire Assembly session as a "distraction exercise" to avoid discussing the critical issue of air pollution in the national capital.
"The BJP government is most afraid of discussing pollution," an AAP response stated. "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."
Meanwhile, Speaker Vijender Gupta said he would examine the recordings of the proceedings and revert on the matter in the next session.
Other Flashpoints: Stray Dogs and Privileges Committee Report
The acrimony was not limited to one issue. BJP MLAs also accused AAP legislators of "spreading lies" regarding a directive they claimed asked school teachers to count stray dogs. Education Minister Ashish Sood wrote a letter to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of making "wrong and misleading statements" on this subject.
Furthermore, the Privileges Committee submitted its report on the 'Phansi Ghar' (gallows) row. The committee recommended that the House take appropriate action against Arvind Kejriwal, former speaker Ram Niwas Goel, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and former deputy speaker Rakhi Birla for failing to attend the committee's sittings on November 13 and 20 without sufficient cause or permission.
Amid these heated exchanges, the Assembly witnessed protests from both sides, leading to the session being adjourned twice on Tuesday. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in her remarks, sought to elevate the discourse, stating that Guru Tegh Bahadur's sacrifice is an eternal ideal of courage and righteousness. She noted that viewing him only as the guru of one faith would limit his stature as a protector of India's shared culture and civilizational values.
