AAP-BJP row over ‘Phansi-ghar’ claim

New Delhi: The BJP and AAP sparred in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday after Speaker Vijender Gupta told the House that the so-called British-era “phansi-ghar” (execution room ), inaugurated on the Assembly premises in 2022 following renovation by then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal with much fanfare, was originally a “tiffin room”.

PWD minister Parvesh Verma accused the previous AAP government of “distorting facts” and said photos of freedom fighters put up in the room will be removed.

During the Assembly proceedings, Gupta, citing a map of 2011 when the Delhi Assembly building was constructed, said the claim of a tunnel running from the Assembly premises to the Red Fort (Lal Qila) was also incorrect.

The BJP demanded an apology from AAP chief Kejriwal for “misleading” the House, while AAP MLAs questioned the Speaker for raising the issue at a time when the national capital was grappling with several pressing problems.

The treasury and opposition benches were involved in heated exchanges, with a visiting delegation of British Parliament witnessing the noisy scene.

In his remarks, Gupta said that the map also showed that the present Speaker’s room was formerly the members’ library and that the Deputy Speaker’s room was the Viceroy’s chamber during British rule.

The map also indicated the presence of a smoking room in old times, he said.

He slammed the previous AAP government for inaugurating the tiffin room as “phansi-ghar” on August 9 2022, which was the anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

“A meeting was also held with historians who said that the so-called phansi-ghar and the associated structure were actually a tiffin room and a lift. The National Archives documents provided to us also proved this,” Gupta said.

“The claim of a tunnel running from the Assembly to Lal Qila was also incorrect,” the Speaker said, adding, “Historians said that in old times such buildings used to have underground ventilation ducts. Such a space is also there in the old Parliament House.”

BJP chief whip Abhay Verma said the so-called “phansi-ghar” was actually a rope-operated lift system connected to a chamber used as the “tiffin room”.

BJP MLAs demanded that AAP supremo and former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal tender an apology for “misleading” people with “false claims” and “distorting” history. BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar proposed bringing a censure motion against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the matter.

The Speaker asked the opposition AAP members to clarify their stand. He directed AAP MLAs to present their side on Wednesday with facts and documents.

AAP MLA Jarnail Singh alleged that the BJP was trying to “distort” history and sought to defend the claim about the presence of phansi-ghar on the Assembly premises by citing information from ChatGPT.

Leader of Opposition Atishi questioned the relevance of raising the issue, saying many pressing problems were being faced by the people of Delhi that need the attention of the House.

Addressing the House, Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma said, “It was Ram Niwas Goel, the then Speaker of Delhi Assembly, who had discovered it and called it an execution room. But it does not conform to the maps that we have found.” Gupta said the matter is connected to the AAP government. With agency inputs