Phansi-ghar row: Kejriwal, others, again skip Assembly summons, call it ‘untenable’

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and three other AAP leaders again failed to appear before the Committee of Privileges of the Delhi Assembly on Thursday, which is probing allegations of a “fake phansi-ghar” being constructed on the premises during the AAP’s tenure.  

Speaker Vijender Gupta had alleged that crores of rupees were spent on the “fake phansi-ghar and its advertisement” by the former AAP government. Mr. Gupta had referred the matter to the Committee of Privileges for inquiry, which summoned Mr. Kejriwal and others.

“Arvind Kejriwal, [former Deputy Chief Minister] Manish Sisodia, [former Speaker] Ram Niwas Goel, and [former Deputy Speaker] Rakhi Birla once again did not appear before the Committee of Privileges despite being given two opportunities to present their version on record. Noting their continued non-appearance in both the scheduled sittings, the committee has now decided to determine the further course of action in the matter under consideration,” said Pradyumn Singh Rajput, the chairperson of the committee.

‘Politically motivated’

AAP described the summons as “legally untenable” and stated that the committee “cannot act on matters related to the previous Assembly”, citing a Supreme Court decision.

“Yet the Bharatiya Janata Party is fixated on such theatrics even as Delhi chokes on hazardous pollution, struggles with collapsing public services and reels from glaring security failures,” AAP said in a statement.

In a letter to the Delhi Assembly Secretariat, Mr. Kejriwal said, “Insofar as the authenticity of phansi-ghar is concerned, I am sure there is material available in the House as well as on the files then maintained by the Assembly Secretariat which can be perused. It is an administrative and internal matter of the then House, and I was just the guest during its inauguration.”

“I request the committee withdraw the summons and notice, and drop the proceedings,” he added.