The row over the Beadbi (sacrilege) of Sikh Guru Sahibs by BJP ministers and leaders in Delhi intensified further on Sunday, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit the streets to demonstrate. Led by Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP MLAs, councillors, office-bearers and a large number of ‘karyakartas’ (party workers) took out a foot march and launched a ‘halla bol’ at the BJP headquarters, demanding a public apology from BJP ministers and leaders for the insult to Sikh Guru Sahibs.
Before AAP ‘karyakartas’ could reach the BJP headquarters, the Delhi Police stopped them with barricades, prevented them from moving ahead and detained them one by one. Saurabh Bharadwaj and several other leaders were taken to IP Estate police station, where they sat on a ‘dharna’ and raised slogans against the BJP.
In a series of posts on X, the AAP stated, “India will not tolerate insults to Guru Sahib. AAP demonstrated outside the BJP office against a fake video created by BJP government ministers involving Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and the insult to Guru Maharaj. This fabricated video has once again exposed the BJP’s anti-Sikh mindset. When AAP leaders and ‘karyakartas’ took to the streets to protest the insult to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and the Sikh community by BJP ministers and leaders, the authoritarian BJP’s Delhi Police detained several leaders, including Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj and MLA Sanjeev Jha. If the BJP believes that detaining AAP leaders will help hide its wrongdoing, it is making a grave mistake. BJP leaders and ministers have insulted Guru Sahib and the Sikh community, and for this shameful act, the BJP will have to apologise.”
Meanwhile, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, “BJP ministers and leaders have insulted Sikh Guru Sahibs. The AAP demands that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta publicly apologise for the ‘beadabi’ (sacrilege) committed by BJP ministers and leaders against the Guru Sahibs. It has now been proven that BJP minister Kapil Mishra circulated a video of former Delhi CM and LoP Atishi by inserting false words into it and attempted to damage communal harmony within the country. The forensic report has clearly established that the video circulated by Kapil Mishra was fake. Therefore, legal action must be taken against Kapil Mishra.”
Questioning the conduct of law enforcement, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “When the BJP protested outside the Aam Aadmi Party headquarters for two hours, the Delhi Police had no objection and did not detain BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva or minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa. But now, when Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, councillors, and a large number of ‘karyakartas’ have come to protest at the BJP headquarters, they are being detained. Why is the Delhi Police adopting this double standard? When the Punjab Police can get a forensic examination of the video clip done in one day, why is the Delhi Police taking 15 days? This clearly shows that the Delhi government is deliberately delaying the investigation because it knows that Kapil Mishra committed forgery.”
Meanwhile, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha stated, “BJP ministers, MLAs, and leaders insulted Guru Sahib for their cheap politics and circulated a fake video. Everyone is hurt by this, especially the Sikh community, which is deeply anguished that Guru Sahib is being insulted by the BJP for narrow political gains. The Aam Aadmi Party will not tolerate the insult of the Guru Sahibs at any cost.”
Referring to the forensic findings, he added, “The BJP created a fake video and insulted Guru Sahib through it. When the video was examined by a forensic laboratory, it was found to be fake. From day one, the Aam Aadmi Party has been saying that this video was fake and was created only to divert attention from Delhi’s real issues. The BJP frequently makes fake videos, but this time it dragged Guru Sahib into its politics and insulted them, which will not be tolerated. That is why the Aam Aadmi Party has come to demonstrate in front of the BJP headquarters today. Our demand is that all BJP leaders kneel down and go to the Gurdwara to apologise before Guru Sahib. They will have to answer for this ‘beadabi’, otherwise this demonstration will continue.”
Pointing to institutional accountability, Sanjeev Jha said, “Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta is not above the rules. We expected the Speaker to understand rules, regulations, and procedures. If a video is in the public domain, it does not remain the exclusive property of the Legislative Assembly. Now that BJP leaders have been caught, attempts are being made to divert attention through the Speaker. The BJP has been exposed before the people of the country and, in the process of making fake videos, it has now started insulting the Guru Sahibs, which is a reprehensible act.”
“This time the BJP has committed grave wrongdoing. To polish its dirty politics and avoid Delhi’s real issues, it created a fake video. Through this fake video, the BJP insulted Guru Sahib and dragged Guru Sahib into its dirty politics. The forensic investigation has now also proven that the video was fake. The Aam Aadmi Party will not tolerate the insult of the Guru Sahibs at any cost. That is why we are at the BJP headquarters today. All senior BJP leaders must apologise. If they try to disturb the country’s social harmony, the Sikh community and the people of the country will not forgive them,” he asserted.
On the other hand, AAP spokesperson Ghanendra Bhardwaj stated, “BJP minister in the Delhi government Kapil Mishra released a doctored and fake video involving Guru Sahib, which was completely false. Kapil Mishra dragged the name of Guru Sahib into the BJP’s petty politics. He has insulted Guru Sahib, and there is widespread anger across Delhi and among the Sikh community across the country over this insult. The Aam Aadmi Party had been saying from the very first day that this video was completely fake. A forensic examination of the video was conducted in Punjab, which clearly established that the video made by Kapil Mishra was entirely fake and doctored. An FIR has also been registered against Kapil Mishra in Punjab in connection with this video.”
Questioning moral responsibility, Ghanendra Bhardwaj said, “If the BJP and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who speak at length about morality, have even a little moral integrity left, along with the BJP’s national leadership, they must immediately dismiss Kapil Mishra. An FIR should also be registered against Kapil Mishra in Delhi, and the BJP should send him to jail. Since an FIR has already been registered against Kapil Mishra, he will have to go to jail, and the Punjab Police can arrest him at any time.”
Warning of continued demonstration, he added, “If the BJP does not take action against Kapil Mishra and does not dismiss him, the Sikh community of Delhi and the country will not forgive the BJP. This movement against the BJP will continue until Kapil Mishra is dismissed.”
