Delhi Speaker: Atishi video not doctored, CBI probe ordered
Delhi Speaker: Atishi video not doctored, CBI probe ordered
Forensic tests confirm the footage is original; Delhi Speaker plans a CBI inquiry while Punjab officials defend the video’s veracity amid a heated political row.
A forensic examination has found that the video in which AAP leader Atishi is accused of making derogatory remarks about Sikh gurus in the Assembly was not doctored, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta announced. He said he would order a CBI probe into the matter and would also seek a separate inquiry into the Punjab government’s handling of the footage. The Speaker urged Atishi to apologise to the House for the alleged remarks.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann echoed the stance, stating the forensic report confirms the video was 100% correct and untampered, and he accused the Opposition of misusing Punjab police and forensic labs to cover up the truth. The controversy has stirred a political storm, with the BJP alleging that Atishi belittled Guru Tegh Bahadur. Earlier, a Jalandhar court ordered the doctored version of the video taken down from social media platforms.
The opposition’s line was reinforced by Labour Minister Kapil Mishra, who had shared the video online and claimed the forensic findings exposed the “sin” committed by Atishi, also charging AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal with a larger wrongdoing for allegedly shielding her. In Delhi, AAP leaders pressed back, demanding Mishra be sentenced to three years in jail for disrespecting the Sikh gurus by circulating a fake video.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other party leaders insisted the court-ordered takedown stands and that the forensic report vindicates their position that no insult occurred in the footage. AAP supporters in Delhi, including party workers led by Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj, argued that the row is a political stunt aimed at discrediting the Delhi and Punjab administrations.
The episode highlights a widening political fault line between the Delhi government and its Punjab counterpart, as both sides mobilize legal and social-media mechanisms to shape public perception amid ongoing governance strains. The case now hangs on further investigations and potential legal action, with the CBI probe expected to scrutinize the original footage and related political communications.
