1984 anti-Sikh riots resolution: AAP puts up united front

The controversy broke out on Friday after reports of the Delhi assembly passing the resolution. Facing flak from political rivals, the AAP said on Saturday the reference to Rajiv Gandhi was added by Malviya Nagar legislator Somnath Bharti without informing the House.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swung into damage control and tried to put up a united front on Saturday, a day after a controversy erupted over some of its legislators demanding the withdrawal of the Bharat Ratna awarded to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and MLA Alka Lamba claiming she was asked to resign for not backing a resolution to that effect in the Delhi assembly.

AAP MLA Alka Lamba had on Friday said she will tender her resignation as ‘demanded’ by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for not supporting a resolution in the assembly on revoking late PM Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT Photo)

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel clarified that the contentious resolution on the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, which broke out after then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards, was passed by him without any reference to Rajiv Gandhi. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said Chandni Chowk MLA Lamba, who said she was asked to resign, would continue to be a member of the ruling party.

Speaker Goel said MLA Jarnail Singh’s proposed amendment for taking back Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna — the country’s highest civilian award —was not adopted.

The “original resolution” had no mention of Rajiv Gandhi, he said, adding that a few AAP MLAs put forward that demand “as they got emotional” on the issue.

The controversy broke out on Friday after reports of the Delhi assembly passing the resolution. Facing flak from political rivals, the AAP said on Saturday the reference to Rajiv Gandhi was added by Malviya Nagar legislator Somnath Bharti without informing the House.

Addressing a press conference, Sisodia said no action had been taken against the three AAP legislators at the centre of the controversy — Lamba, Bharti and Tilak Nagar legislator Singh.

“No resignation has been submitted or asked for. Also, no showcause notice has been sent to the two other MLAs. Every legislator is free to expressing their personal views...Even BJP legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa had proposed an amendment on the issue. It does not mean the House adopts all of that as part of a resolution,” Sisodia said, stressing that the AAP did not have any demand of stripping Rajiv Gandhi of the Bharat Ratna.

Lamba, who had claimed that she was being “punished” for opposing the party’s stand on Rajiv Gandhi, said she was “happy that the party has come out in support of the honour given to late PM”.

On Friday, Bharti took responsibility of the act and Lamba tweeted a printed copy of the resolution, including the reference to Rajiv Gandhi that irked the top leadership, according to party functionaries.

But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched an attack on the AAP, asking chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s party to clarify whether it wanted justice for the Sikh community that was targeted during the riots or an “understanding with the Congress”. The Congress, for its part, sought Kejriwal’s apology and the withdrawal of the resolution.