Sikh guru remark: Delhi Speaker says forensic report finds Atishi video not tampered
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New Delhi: The controversy over an alleged derogatory remark against Sikh gurus escalated on Saturday after Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said a forensic examination had established that the video clip of Leader of Opposition Atishi was not doctored, and announced that a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would be ordered.
Addressing a press conference, Gupta said the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report had “clearly” found no tampering with the audio or video recording of the House proceedings. Displaying the report before the media, he said the verbatim record and the audio-video footage were an exact match.
“The report is categorical. A frame-by-frame analysis using a video analysis system has found no indication of alteration, manipulation or tampering in either the audio or the video,” Gupta said, adding that the clip was sent for forensic examination on January 8 at the demand of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Gupta said that in view of serious questions arising from what he described as parallel investigations and the alleged “misuse” of state agencies in Punjab, he would direct that the matter be investigated by the CBI to establish the truth beyond reasonable doubt and fix accountability.
The Delhi AAP president, Saurabh Bharadwaj, rejected the forensic report, saying it did not address the key issue of whether Atishi had actually uttered the word “gurus”.
“She did not utter the word ‘gurus’, but the report does not mention it. The BJP tried to fan religious discord by using the video, and action should be taken against its leaders,” Bharadwaj said.
Earlier, police in AAP-ruled Punjab had claimed that their own forensic examination showed the video was “doctored”. Following this, AAP’s chief whip in the Delhi Assembly, Sanjiv Jha, demanded that Speaker Gupta initiate breach of privilege proceedings against Delhi minister Kapil Mishra for sharing the clip on social media.
Gupta alleged that the AAP government in Punjab had “hastily” conducted its own forensic test and even registered an FIR on that basis. He said the FSL report had exposed what he termed a “conspiracy” by a political party that hurt the honour of Sikh gurus by misusing Punjab officials. The Assembly, he added, would decide further action in the matter.
The Speaker said Atishi should meet him and apologise, failing which the Assembly would take a serious view of the issue. He also warned the Punjab Chief Minister to refrain from interfering in the affairs of the Delhi Assembly and attempting to cover up the matter through political manoeuvring.
In a post on X, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the FSL report had clarified that the video of the Assembly Secretariat proceedings of January 6, when Atishi allegedly made a “shameful and undignified” remark against the sacrifices of Sikh gurus, was 100 per cent correct and not tampered with. She said it was unfortunate that instead of accepting the mistake, the AAP had “misused” the Punjab government, police and forensic laboratory to suppress the truth.
The issue relates to an alleged remark made by Atishi during a January 6 discussion in the Assembly on the Delhi government’s programme held last year to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The matter has since snowballed into a major political controversy involving the BJP-led government in Delhi and the AAP-ruled Punjab.
Atishi has accused the BJP of indulging in petty politics by dragging the name of the ninth Sikh guru into controversy. She has not attended the sittings of the Delhi Assembly since the incident.
While the Punjab Police registered an FIR in Jalandhar over the use and circulation of the alleged “doctored” video clip, the Delhi Assembly has sought replies from senior Punjab police officers over an alleged breach of privilege.
Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, who shared the video on his social media handle, said the FSL report had established the “sin” committed by Atishi. He alleged that an even bigger wrongdoing was committed by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of misusing the Punjab Police to protect her.
With PTI inputs
