BJP Govt afraid of truth; refuses live streaming of Privileges Committee proceedings: Saurabh Bharadwaj

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday criticised the BJP government for refusing to live-stream the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly’s Privileges Committee when former Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal appears before it. AAP’s Delhi State president Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that the BJP is afraid of the truth and questioned why the government was reluctant to allow live streaming of the proceedings. 

What did Saurabh Bharadwaj say?

On Friday, the AAP Delhi State Chief said that during the AAP government, committee proceedings had been live streamed on several occasions to ensure transparency. He also argued that all activities conducted within the Assembly premises fall under the authority of the Speaker, adding that the BJP government’s refusal reflects a disregard for constitutional norms and transparency.

Addressing a press conference at the AAP headquarters on Friday along with MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar, AAP Delhi Unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “Whether a gallows is constructed inside the Delhi Assembly, whether the photograph of a great personality or freedom fighter is installed, or whether a statue is set up, all such actions fall under the authority of the Speaker of the Assembly.”

Saurabh Bharadwaj remarked that such basic understanding develops when civics is taught in Class 7 social science, yet the BJP has still not developed this understanding. He said, “Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned to explain why the ‘Phansi Ghar’ was built inside the Assembly.”

He recalled that in the alleged liquor case as well, which he described as false and fabricated, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) repeatedly summoned Arvind Kejriwal. “At that time, Arvind Kejriwal had said that if there were questions, they could be provided to him and he would respond in writing. He had also offered to answer questions through video conferencing and to respond publicly. However, the ED concealed this and insisted on calling him in person,” he said.

The issue was not the proceedings, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, but their malicious intent. He added that Arvind Kejriwal had simply said that he has nothing to hide from the world. “Since he is to be questioned and has no fear, the questioning should take place in front of the entire world and be live streamed,” he said.

“However, the Assembly has said it will not allow live streaming and has falsely claimed that such a thing has never happened before,” he said and added that during the AAP government, such proceedings had been live streamed several times.

Saurabh Bharadwaj further said that when the Delhi Assembly constituted the Peace and Harmony Committee, its proceedings were properly live streamed. “Similarly, committees such as the Petitions Committee, Privileges Committee, and the Questions and References Committee had AAP MLAs like Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar serving as members and chairpersons,” he added.

Whenever an important issue arose, the press was formally invited and asked to report the proceedings truthfully. Saurabh Bharadwaj said this was a good practice and transparency should prevail.

He added that the Aam Aadmi Party had nothing to fear, but the Delhi Assembly has now said that there will be no live streaming and journalists will not be invited either. “The Assembly has even stopped the entry of its own members, despite the fact that they have a fundamental right to enter their Assembly,” he stated.

The AAP Delhi State chief described this as extremely shameful and said it is a direct attack on democratic and constitutional values as well as on constitutional institutions. It demonstrates, he said, that the BJP does not have a mindset of transparency when it comes to the Constitution.

Saurabh Bharadwaj said that on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party, they demand that the Delhi Assembly show some sensitivity toward transparency. He noted that AAP too had many opportunities while running the Assembly and its committees. 

“At that time, even the then Leader of Opposition had stood on the table during proceedings, yet the Speaker in those days had a large heart and decisions were taken in a generous spirit,” he said and expressed sadness that the sensitivity expected toward constitutional values is now missing.

What did Sanjeev Jha say?

During the press conference, AAP Legislative Party Chief Whip Sanjeev Jha said that the notice sent to them is very interesting. “It states that the Privileges Committee has scheduled a hearing on an extremely sensitive matter of national importance,” he said.

Sanjeev Jha questioned whether the sensitive issue is that the then Assembly Speaker had a gallows constructed and that this somehow insulted the British. If that is the case, he said sarcastically, then a case of sedition should have been filed. He added that the matter has been described as extremely sensitive and the notice also states that posts made by some members in the media could lead to serious disorder and danger.

Responding to the claim of “danger,” Sanjeev Jha said that the people of Delhi elected their representatives who went to the Delhi Assembly. “Seventy people have been elected and they are first among equals, and those seventy people chose the Speaker of their Assembly. Yet that very Speaker is now saying that he faces danger from his own Assembly members,” he said.

He remarked that the Prime Minister says in Parliament that he faces danger from women and that women members might beat him, while here the Speaker says he faces danger from his own members. He asked why these people are so fearful.

Sanjeev Jha said, “Even if they had made posts, they only stated that Arvind Kejriwal had demanded that the entire proceedings be live streamed.” This, he said, is a completely legitimate demand, and the people of Delhi have every right to see what issues the government and the representatives they elected consider serious. He questioned whether the serious issue is Delhi’s problems or the gallows, which is a symbol of British cruelty.

Sanjeev Jha further said that privileges are being misused. “The gallows in the Delhi Assembly had been reconstructed on the orders of the Speaker, and Arvind Kejriwal had merely inaugurated it. If that is the case, how can a breach of privilege case be filed against Arvind Kejriwal and why has he been summoned?,” he questioned.

He stated that the BJP is not conducting genuine privilege proceedings but is trying to malign Arvind Kejriwal with abuses to hide its own failures over the past year.

On behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party, Sanjeev Jha demanded that the Speaker allow the Delhi Assembly to function according to the rulebook and not misuse the provisions in a way that sets a dangerous precedent for the future. 

Giving an example, he said that suppose the Speaker organises many programmes today and corruption is later found in them. “On several occasions, the Union Home Minister and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha also attend inaugurations. If corruption were later discovered at such a place and the people who inaugurated it were summoned, it would create an absurd situation,” he said.

Sanjeev Jha said that the game the BJP government is playing to hide its incompetence is extremely dangerous. “As the custodian of the Delhi Assembly, the Speaker should take cognisance of this and ensure that nothing is done that harms the dignity of the Delhi Assembly, democracy, or the Constitution,” he stated.

What did Kuldeep Kumar say?

Meanwhile, Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar said everyone knows how the BJP uses constitutional institutions in the country for its political purposes. After the ED and the CBI, he said, it is now the turn of the Privileges Committee. 

“The people of Delhi elected their MLAs and sent them to the Assembly, which represents all two crore residents of Delhi and the representatives chosen by them. Every elected representative has the right to enter the Assembly at any time,” he added.

“Yet today, not only the Privileges Committee but even the entry of elected MLAs into the Delhi Assembly premises has been restricted,” he said and added that this directly tears apart the constitutional norms and traditions of the country.

Kuldeep Kumar questioned why BJP leaders are so afraid. He said the BJP has no answers on any issue concerning Delhi. In one year, he stated, the BJP has done nothing on electricity, water, education, or health. 

“Sewers are overflowing in many places and there are water problems across the city, yet the BJP will not talk about these issues,” he added. Instead, he said, the BJP only wants to use politics to defame Arvind Kejriwal. He added that BJP leaders were so frightened that when Arvind Kejriwal demanded live telecast of the committee proceedings, they backed away in fear.

Kuldeep Kumar also urged the Assembly Speaker to ensure that MLAs are allowed to enter the Assembly premises, as it is their right. On behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party, he demanded that the entire committee meeting be broadcast live. 

The Kondli MLA recalled that on several earlier occasions, when AAP members were part of the Petitions Committee, the press had been invited and shown how Delhi’s officials should remain accountable to the public and how their work should be carried out.

Kuldeep Kumar stated that the BJP has no transparency because it is completely immersed in corruption and every particle of it is steeped in corruption. That is why, he said, the BJP does not have the courage to live stream the committee proceedings. “The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the manner in which the entry of elected MLAs into the Delhi Assembly premises has been stopped,” he concluded.