Sikh guru remark row: Delhi Speaker says forensic report states video not doctored, will order CBI probe

New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Saturday said a forensic examination has found that the video of Leader of Opposition Atishi's alleged derogatory remarks against Sikh gurus was not doctored, and that a CBI probe will be ordered in the matter.

Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj rejected the forensic report, saying it does not answer the key question of whether Atishi 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," he said.

Earlier, police in AAP-ruled Punjab claimed that their forensic examination revealed that the video was "doctored".

Following this, the AAP's chief whip in the Delhi Assembly, Sanjiv Jha, demanded that Speaker Gupta take action for breach of privilege against minister Kapil Mishra for sharing the clip on social media.

Addressing a press conference, Gupta said that in view of the serious questions that have emerged regarding parallel investigations and "misuse" of state agencies in Punjab, he will direct that the matter be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) so that the truth is established beyond reasonable doubt and accountability is fixed.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has now been received and it "clearly" establishes that there has been no tampering with the audio-video recording of the House proceedings, he said.

"The verbatim record and the audio-video are an exact match," said Gupta, displaying the FSL report before the media.

The report is categorical in its findings. Based on frame-by-frame analysis using a video analysis system, the FSL has found no indication of alteration, manipulation, or tampering in either the audio or the video, he added.

Gupta said the clip was sent for forensic examination on January 8 at the demand of the opposition AAP.

He alleged that the AAP government in Punjab "hastily" conducted its own forensic test and even registered an FIR in the matter based on it.

The FSL report, the Speaker said, exposed the "conspiracy" of a political party which hurt the honour of Sikh gurus by misusing Punjab officials. The assembly will now decide further action in the matter, he said.

Gupta said Atishi should meet him and apologise, else the assembly will take a serious view of it.

"The assembly also warns the Punjab chief minister to refrain from interfering in its affairs and seeking to cover up the matter through political manipulations," he said.

In a post on X, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the FSL report has clarified that the video of the Assembly Secretariat of January 6, when LOP Atishi made a "shameful, undignified" remark against the sacrifices of Sikh gurus was 100 per cent correct and was not tampered with.

She said it was unfortunate that instead of accepting the wrong, the AAP "misused" the Punjab government, police and forensic lab to cover up the truth.

The issue of alleged disrespect shown towards Sikh gurus by Atishi in the assembly on January 6 during a discussion on the Delhi government's programme held last year to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur has snowballed into a major political controversy involving the ruling BJP 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 in controversy. She did not attend the sittings of the Delhi Assembly after the incident.

While Punjab Police registered an FIR in Jalandhar over the use and circulation of an alleged "doctored" video clip of Atishi, the Delhi Assembly has demanded replies from top police officers from the state over breach of privilege.

Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, who shared the video on his social media handle, asserted that the FSL report has established the "sin" committed by Atishi. A bigger sin was committed by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who "misused" Punjab Police to protect her, Mishra charged. PTI VIT DIV DIV