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‘Phansi-ghar’ row hits Delhi Assembly; Atishi marshalled out of house
The row between the two parties began after CM Gupta alleged that the Kejriwal government had falsely claimed that the Delhi assembly had a “phansi-ghar."
As the "phansi-ghar' row escalates, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP and leader of opposition Atishi was marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday.
The Kalkaji MLA was asked to leave the house after a heated exchange with BJP members, according to PTI news agency.
The Delhi Assembly witnessed high drama on Wednesday as the ruling BJP clashed with the AAP over the so-called British-era "phansi ghar" (execution room) on the house premises.
The row between the two parties began after chief minister Rekha Gupta alleged that the Kejriwal government had falsely claimed that the Delhi assembly had a “phansi-ghar” and then renovated it.
BJP, AAP go head-to-head over ‘phansi-ghar’
Speaker Vijender Gupta said, the structure, which was renovated in 2022 was a "tiffin room" and not a colonial-era execution room. The AAP government had allegedly presented the room as a symbol of India's freedom struggle.
AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha accused the BJP of attempting to "erase colonial atrocities for political convenience."
"Many British execution sites were never officially documented,” said Jha, adding that the “double-storey structure, mentioned in the 1912 map of the building, closely matches the characteristics of a hanging chamber.”
The BJP, however, has alleged that the chamber was a "tiffin room" before the AAP government renovated it to "tamper with history."
“They spent crores turning a tiffin room into a fake execution site. It’s a manufactured narrative meant to mislead the public and glorify their own leaders," said BJP MLA Kapil Mishra.
Amid the heated debate, Atishi accused the Rekha Gupta-led government of wasting taxpayers' money by avoiding core issues to discuss in the house.
"This is not just about a room—it’s about erasing history to target the legacy of a former chief minister. We will not be silenced,” said Atishi after he speaker ordered the removal of her and other AAP MLAs from the assembly session.
