New Delhi, February 5: The ongoing controversy in the Delhi Assembly has taken a new turn. Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta has referred the actions of the Punjab Police to the Privileges Committee. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa welcomed this decision.
This decision came on Wednesday and is linked to a complaint by Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra and a First Information Report (FIR) filed by a Sikh individual, Iqbal Singh. Sirsa expressed his approval of the decision on the social media platform X.
Sirsa stated, “Today, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta acknowledged the Atishi video case and referred the Punjab Police’s actions to the Privileges Committee. His decisive step has upheld the dignity of the House and brought the truth to light. What is most distressing is Atishi’s behavior throughout this matter.”
He further added, “Initially, she made a statement in the House that hurt Sikh sentiments. Instead of apologizing and admitting her significant mistake, the entire Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) machinery came to her defense, attempting to manipulate facts by misusing the Punjab Police and claiming the video clip was edited or tampered with! Atishi, your political stunt may last for some time, but the truth eventually comes out. You cannot hide the truth forever.”
This controversy began on January 6, 2026, during discussions marking the 350th anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s martyrdom. On that day, opposition leader and AAP MLA Atishi made statements that were alleged to have offended Sikh sentiments. BJP legislators protested, disrupting the proceedings. Subsequently, Minister Kapil Mishra shared a video clip on social media showcasing Atishi’s purportedly objectionable statements.
The AAP labeled this video as “edited” or “tampered.” Following this, the Punjab Police registered an FIR against Kapil Mishra based on a complaint from Iqbal Singh in Jalandhar. The Punjab Police claimed that their forensic report proved the video had been tampered with. The DGP of Punjab and the Jalandhar Police Commissioner sent a response to the Delhi Assembly stating that the actions taken were legally grounded and did not fall under legislative privilege.
However, Speaker Vijender Gupta deemed these clarifications unsatisfactory. He stated that taking action on videos related to Assembly proceedings without prior verification is unfortunate. An independent report from the Delhi Forensic Science Laboratory found the video to be authentic, and Atishi’s statements matched the records of the House. Gupta also expressed dissatisfaction over the Punjab Police’s failure to provide essential documents such as the FIR copy, the complaint, and the forensic report. He clarified that under Article 361A of the Constitution, criminal action cannot be taken on the verified reports of Assembly proceedings.