A fresh political storm has erupted in Delhi's capital over historical remarks concerning the martyrdom of the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur. The controversy took a new turn when Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Virendra Sachdeva, amplified the issue by sharing an old video clip of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Atishi on social media platform X.
The Spark: A Controversial Video Resurfaces
On Tuesday, Virendra Sachdeva posted a video from a 2018 event where AAP leader and Delhi Education Minister Atishi is seen making statements about the circumstances of Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom. In the clip, Atishi suggests that the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was not directly responsible for the Guru's execution, attributing it instead to a conspiracy by some Kashmiri Pandits and the then governor of Kashmir. This interpretation starkly contrasts with the widely accepted historical narrative and Sikh religious belief that Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Aurangzeb in 1675 for protecting religious freedom.
Sachdeva's post was accompanied by a direct challenge to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP state chief dared Kejriwal to register a First Information Report (FIR) against his own minister, Atishi, for her remarks. This move is seen as a counter to the AAP's recent actions, where the party has filed police complaints against several BJP leaders for their comments on the same sensitive historical subject.
Political Tit-for-Tat and Escalating Tensions
The sharing of this video is the latest escalation in a bitter war of words between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP in Delhi. The conflict began when BJP leaders, including MP Manjinder Singh Sirsa and leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, made statements questioning the AAP government's commitment to commemorating Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom. The AAP swiftly retaliated by filing formal complaints with the police against these BJP figures, accusing them of spreading misinformation and hate.
Virendra Sachdeva's decision to bring Atishi's past comments into the fray is a strategic retaliation. By highlighting the AAP minister's 2018 speech, the BJP aims to put the Kejriwal government on the defensive, questioning its consistency and respect for Sikh sentiments. Sachdeva framed his challenge around the principle of equality before the law, implicitly asking why the AAP was quick to seek action against BJP leaders but silent on its own minister's historical assertions.
The AAP has not yet issued an official response to the viral video or the challenge to file an FIR. However, party sources indicate they view this as a desperate attempt by the BJP to deflect from the original allegations against its own leaders. The core of the initial dispute remains the development of a memorial at the site in Delhi's Chandni Chowk where Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred, a project both parties claim to support but accuse the other of obstructing.
Broader Implications and Community Sentiment
This political skirmish touches upon deeply held religious sentiments of the Sikh community, for whom Guru Tegh Bahadur is a central, revered figure symbolizing sacrifice for the protection of faith. The use of historical narratives for contemporary political point-scoring is a sensitive tactic that risks alienating community voters. Both parties are vying for support in Punjab and among Delhi's significant Sikh population, especially with national elections on the horizon.
The incident underscores the increasingly combative nature of Delhi's politics, where historical and religious symbols are frequently deployed as weapons in partisan battles. It also highlights the power of social media as an archive, where past statements can be resurrected years later to fuel new controversies. The ball is now in the court of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP leadership to respond to the BJP's provocative challenge, a decision that will be closely watched for its legal and political ramifications.
As of now, the Delhi Police has not registered any case based on the shared video. The situation remains tense, with the potential for further escalation depending on the actions taken by the ruling dispensation in the capital.
