New Delhi, March 6 – Former Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal appeared before the Delhi Assembly's Committee on Privileges on Friday in connection with the "Faansi Ghar" matter.
During the meeting of the committee, headed by Pradyumn Singh Rajput, Kejriwal presented his explanation for declaring a shaft within the Assembly premises as a "Faansi Ghar" and opening it for public viewing.
The Privileges Committee also comprises MLAs Surya Prakash Khatri, Abhay Kumar Verma, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Satish Upadhyay, Neeraj Basoya, Ravi Kant, Ram Singh Netaji, and Surender Kumar.
The matter, originally raised by Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, concerns the authenticity of the "Faansi Ghar" inaugurated on August 9, 2022, within the Delhi Legislative Assembly premises.
The Privileges Committee was directed to investigate the issue to facilitate a factual and procedural assessment of the circumstances surrounding the inauguration.
Earlier in the day, Delhi AAP Convenor Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the Committee's proceedings, calling it a "black day" in the city's democratic history.
"I have never heard an Assembly panel summoning the former Speaker and former CM. The former CM sought live streaming as he wanted the media to witness the proceedings, but they are afraid," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, the Assembly secretariat rejected Kejriwal's request for live streaming of the Committee proceedings.
The Deputy Secretary of the Legislature wrote to Kejriwal, "I am directed by the Chairperson to inform that the proceedings of the Committee on Privileges are confidential, and the Rules of Procedure do not permit their live streaming. Furthermore, there is no precedent for the proceedings of the Committee on Privileges being telecast in the Parliament or other states."
"The Chairperson has also expressed his surprise at your ignorance in this matter, despite being a former member of this House for more than ten years, when numerous sittings of the Committee on Privileges were held, but not even a single sitting was ever telecast/live streamed," said the Deputy Secretary.
