New Delhi: A BJP-AAP tussle over Leader of Opposition Atishi’s purported show of “disrespect” towards Guru Tegh Bahadur in the Delhi Assembly earlier this week escalated Friday, when the Punjab Police jumped into the row and called the video “tampered”. It was Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra who first posted the video, showing Atishi, and claimed she used “very vulgar and shameful language” when the House was honouring gurus.
Now, Punjab police have booked Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, his party colleague, Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh, Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal “and others” for sharing Kapil Mishra’s video, Khaira wrote in a post on X.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, meanwhile, said calling the video recorded inside the House “tampered” went against the dignity of the House. He also criticised the police action against the minister, calling it a “serious matter”, which constituted a “clear” breach of privilege by the Jalandhar police commissioner. BJP MLA Abhay Verma had approached the Speaker with the matter.
It all began Tuesday with Atishi’s winter session address in the Assembly on the subject of commemorating the ninth Sikh guru, Tegh Bahadur. Soon, Delhi ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ashish Sood, and Kapil Mishra were accusing Atishi of making inappropriate remarks and hurting religious sentiments. They demanded an immediate apology from the LoP.
The next day, Mishra followed up on his accusation against Atishi on X, posting a clip of her purported statement. With it, he wrote, “Does such a person have the right to stay in the sacred House?”
In the latest developments Friday, a Jalandhar police spokesperson said the forensic science laboratory in Mohali checked the video shared by Mishra and found it “tampered with”. The spokesperson added that Atishi did not even utter the word “guru”, as claimed.
The AAP, which now sits on the opposite side of the Treasury benches in Delhi, is in power in Punjab.
“Several social media posts containing a short video clip allegedly showing Ms Atishi, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, making allegedly derogatory and blasphemous remarks against Gurus with highly inflammatory captions have been uploaded on social media platforms,” a Punjab government statement said Friday, adding it was a “tampered” video.
“Vide Forensic Report dated 09-01-2026; it has emerged that the word ‘Guru’ has not been uttered by Ms Atishi in her audio as contained in the video clips being circulated on social media. Furthermore, there has been deliberate doctoring of the video to attribute words in the captions that were never spoken by Ms Atishi,” noted the statement.
The Delhi Assembly Speaker Thursday also ordered a forensic analysis of the video clip, a report of which is still awaited. “Recordings made inside the House belong exclusively to the House and to no one else. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to know on what basis this case has been registered. The House will take cognisance of the matter and consider appropriate action against the Police Commissioner of Jalandhar, since there has been unwarranted interference with the property of the House,” the Speaker said.
Adding, “This video clip is the property of the House and was recorded within the House. On the demand of the Opposition, the matter was referred to the Forensic Science Laboratory for their satisfaction. Since the recording belongs to the House, calling it ‘tampered’ is against the dignity of the House. Anyone found involved in this conspiracy will face strict action by the House. The House is formally taking cognisance of the entire matter.”
Sources in Punjab police, however, said only the video clip shared by Mishra was subject to a forensic examination, not the footage from the Delhi Assembly winter session.
Responding to the FIR, Mishra hit out at Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and the Punjab police.
“There is a video in the records of the Delhi Assembly, and the whole world has heard the video. Since that day, Atishi has not dared to attend the Assembly, even though the Speaker of the Assembly has called her several times,” Mishra said.
“Punjab Police, instead of investigating crimes in Punjab, is working to cover up the crimes committed by your ‘Leader of Opposition’. Atishi committed a sin, but by protecting her, you are committing an even greater sin,” he added.
The BJP and the AAP, meanwhile, continue to argue over the authenticity of the clip.
Congress’s Sukhpal Singh Khaira too jumped into the controversy, accusing Mann of misusing the police force to “terrorise, intimidate and threaten” opponents. “This bogus FIR against us has vindicated our oft-repeated allegations that Punjab has been turned into a #PoliceState by @BhagwantMann to terrorise, intimidate and threaten its opponents.”
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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