CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday responded defiantly to renewed calls by Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta for a CBI probe into the findings of the Punjab government’s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report related to a controversial video involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi.
Gupta, a senior BJP leader, has asserted that the Punjab FSL’s examination of the Assembly video clip should be scrutinised by the CBI, amid allegations of conflicting forensic claims and political manipulation. He reiterated that the forensic report shows the contested video clip is genuine and unaltered and that there has been no tampering with the recording.
Addressing reporters, Mann challenged the BJP to proceed with the CBI inquiry if it has doubts on the credibility of the existing forensic findings. “Go ahead and do it — when they are in power, they should do it,” the chief minister said, adding that the forensic report itself indicated that Atishi did not make the purported remark about “Guru,” and that additions such as subtitles had been used in ways that insulted religious sentiments.
Mann further argued that both the Punjab and Delhi forensic reports reached similar conclusions regarding the absence of the contentious word in the audio, and suggested that claims of discrepancies were politically motivated.
The dispute centres on a video clip of a discussion in the Delhi Assembly, which BJP leaders claim shows a derogatory reference to Sikh Gurus by Atishi, a former Delhi minister and AAP national leader.
BJP leaders, including Gupta, have presented a forensic analysis they say confirms the authenticity of the footage and the remarks, while AAP leaders reject this characterisation and accuse opponents of trying to escalate the controversy for political gain.
The row has already triggered legal and procedural actions, including an FIR and court directions to remove the video from social media platforms on grounds it could incite public disorder. As tensions rise, both parties are gearing up for further confrontation, with Mann standing by his government’s stance and BJP leaders pushing for enhanced scrutiny of the Punjab FSL’s role and findings.
Agencies