Speaker calls ‘Phansi-ghar’ a tiffin room; BJP, AAP spar

The BJP and AAP sparred in the Delhi Assembly Tuesday after Speaker Vijender Gupta told the House that the so-called British-era “phansi-ghar” (execution room ), inaugurated on the Assembly premises in 2022 following renovation by then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal with much fanfare, was originally a “tiffin room”.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

PWD minister Parvesh Verma accused the previous AAP government of “distorting facts” and said photos of freedom fighters put up in the room will be removed. During the Assembly proceedings, Gupta, citing a map of 2011 when the Delhi Assembly building was constructed, said the claim of a tunnel running from the Assembly premises to the Red Fort (Lal Qila) was also incorrect.

The BJP demanded an apology from AAP chief Kejriwal for “misleading” the House, while AAP MLAs questioned the Speaker for raising the issue at a time when the national capital was grappling with several pressing problems.