New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) Calling it a matter of Legislative privilege, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Saturday that the State Assembly has sought a written explanation from the Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav over the registration of an FIR in that state based on video footage of the national capital’s Assembly proceedings.

The video clip in question is linked to the row surrounding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi’s alleged disrespectful remarks against Sikh Gurus in Delhi Assembly.

Addressing mediapersons, Speaker Gupta said, “The Punjab DGP, Jalandhar Police Commissioner, and Punjab’s Special DGP Cyber Cell have been issued notices and given 48 hours to submit their written explanations along with all relevant documents in response.”

Speaker Gupta termed the Punjab FIR based on Delhi Assembly footage a matter of Legislative privilege.

He hit out at the alleged political ambition behind Atishi’s actions and subsequent registration of FIR in Punjab.

“Misuse of Assembly House for political ambitions will not be tolerated,” Speaker Gupta said.

The notice sent to the Punjab Police was issued by the Delhi Assembly Secretary Ranjeet Singh on Saturday.

The notice says that the House is already seized of the issue, and the video clip has been referred for forensic examination and to the Committee of Privileges.

It also conveys the concern of the Speaker over the involvement of Punjab Police in a matter considered to fall within the privileged domain of the House and seeks a detailed explanation along with relevant documents from the authorities.

The Punjab Police filed the FIR in Jalandhar against Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra after downloading a clip from his social media account, conducting a forensic test and declaring it as “doctored”.

The controversy over alleged disrespectful remarks by Atishi and the filing of FIR in Punjab against Delhi Minister smells of a tit for tat battle between the AAP government in Punjab and the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Delhi.

Both the parties have accused rival leaders of impropriety, while the Delhi Speaker has hinted that the Punjab Police action amounted to “Breach of Privilege”.

He assured that anyone found directly or indirectly involved in this conspiracy will face the strictest possible action by the House.

Speaker Gupta said that the matter is of extremely serious and constitutional importance and is directly linked to the dignity, authority, and privileges of the House, adding that the issue is not confined to any individual or political party.

The Speaker said that after making the comments in the House, Delhi’s Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Atishi did not appear before the House and did not participate in the discussion on pollution.

He added that LoP Atishi was asked to simply offer a brief apology, but she refused to do so; otherwise, the matter would have ended by now.

The Speaker said that the contents of the FIR registered in Punjab are not merely false allegations but appear to be a well-planned conspiracy aimed at undermining the prestige of the House and maligning constitutional institutions.

Speaker Gupta added that the video on the basis of which the FIR has been registered is not a personal recording but the official recording of the proceedings of the House, which is wholly the property of the Delhi Assembly.

–IANS

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