delhi

Updated: Dec 25, 2018 13:11 IST

The resolution on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots passed in the Delhi assembly last week did not have any reference to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi or that the Bharat Ratna that was awarded to him should be withdrawn, the official bulletin of the House released on Monday said, backing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s stand.

The three-page “brief summary of House proceedings” released by the assembly secretariat showed that the resolution passed on December 21 had sought to term the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as “genocide” and setting up of special fast track courts for the cases.

“The word “Rajiv Gandhi” was not a part of the original text placed before the House. Whatever AAP’s Jarnail Singh said was not passed,” speaker Ram Niwas Goel told news agency ANI.

A controversy erupted in the Delhi assembly on Friday over the portion of the resolution moved by AAP legislator Jarnail Singh, seeking withdrawal of the Bharat Ratna awarded to Gandhi, which assembly officials and leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta said was adopted by the House but denied by AAP leaders.

In the aftermath of the row, Chandni Chowk lawmaker Alka Lamba was also reportedly asked to resign for allegedly tweeting a copy of the resolution mentioning the part about Gandhi. A day later, however, AAP swung into damage control mode and put up a united front, saying Lamba was not asked to resign.

Goel and AAP have since been saying said the resolution did not demand revoking of Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna. The opposition’s leaders in the House, however, disagreed.

On Monday, BJP-SAD MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said he had submitted a notice to the Delhi Assembly’s secretary, seeking removal of the Speaker for dropping the line from the resolution.

“The resolution read that the House resolved that Centre should withdraw Bharat Ratna from then acting PM Rajiv Gandhi,” said Sirsa, who was present in the House on December 21.

“He (Speaker) has violated the truthfulness, dignity and the faith of the House and therefore, needs to be removed from his office, ” said Vijender Gupta leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly.

Repeated calls and messages to Goel for a response went unanswered.