Gallows row: Panel summons Kejriwal, Sisodia, Goel, Birla

The Delhi Assembly’s Privileges Committee has summoned former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, former Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, and former Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla in pertinence with the controversial ‘Phansi Ghar’ (gallows chamber) within the Assembly complex.

The previous AAP government had claimed that the room was once used by the British to hang freedom fighters, and was transformed into a memorial in 2022 to honour “martyrs”.

The matter resurfaced after the current Speaker stated earlier this year that the chamber was not a gallows but merely a “tiffin room”.

The Privileges Committee, now operating under the BJP-led government, has asked the four Aam Aadmi Party leaders to appear on November 13.

They have been directed to respond to allegations of breach of privilege concerning their comments and actions during a 2022 Assembly debate on the ‘Phansi Ghar’.