NEW DELHI: The Delhi Assembly has summoned former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the then Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, ex-speaker Ram Niwas Goel and former deputy speaker Rakhi Birla to appear in person before the privileges committee on November 13, following the “Phansi Ghar” controversy.
The copies of the notice have also been sent to them. The committee is investigating claims made by the previous AAP government that a section of the Assembly building was once used as an execution chamber during British rule.
In September, the privileges committee had also issued notices to Kejriwal, Sisodia and Goel, seeking their responses, accusing them of distorting historical facts and misusing public funds. Reacting to the matter, the AAP claimed that the move is a diversion from the BJP-led government’s failure in managing key city issues over the past nine months, such as deteriorating infrastructure and worsening air pollution.
During the Monsoon session in August, Speaker Vijender Gupta told the House that the so-called British-era ‘Phansi Ghar’ (execution room), inaugurated on the assembly premises by Kejriwal with much fanfare in 2022 following renovation, was originally a “tiffin room”.
The BJP called it a misuse of public funds for political gain.