Delhi Minister Demands Apology from AAP Leader Over Controversial Remarks
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood has publicly condemned AAP leader Atishi for her alleged disrespectful comments regarding Guru Tegh Bahadur. He has called for her to apologize and for her membership in the party to be revoked. Sood emphasized the importance of acknowledging mistakes and criticized Atishi for fleeing the assembly instead of clarifying her statements. He also demanded a public apology from the AAP, stating that the issue reflects poorly on the party's leadership. The assembly speaker has referred the matter for further investigation, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations.
| Jan 8, 2026, 16:51 IST
Minister Criticizes AAP Leader's Comments
On Thursday, Ashish Sood, a minister in Delhi, strongly condemned AAP leader Atishi for her allegedly disrespectful remarks about Guru Tegh Bahadur. He called for her membership in the party to be revoked and demanded an immediate apology. In an official statement, Sood emphasized that instead of fleeing the assembly and politicizing the issue, Atishi should have apologized for the controversy.
Clarification Needed from Atishi
Sood stated that rather than making accusations, Atishi should clarify what she actually said that led to the uproar, especially since both the ruling party and the opposition are discussing the respect for gurus. He noted that in society, acknowledging a mistake and apologizing elevates a person’s stature. He further remarked that if Atishi had admitted her error and apologized, the entire nation would have forgiven her. However, he found it unfortunate that she chose to leave the assembly, politicize the matter, and falsely label the official video of the assembly proceedings.
Public Apology Demanded from AAP
Sood also criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the alleged disrespect towards the gurus and reiterated the demand for Atishi's membership to be revoked. He stated, “This obstinacy is not limited to Atishi; it reflects the working style of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP. Kejriwal, AAP, and their entire team should publicly apologize to the nation for disrespecting the gurus. Yesterday, on behalf of all our ministers and the legislative party, we demanded the cancellation of Atishi's membership.”
Sood Calls Out Atishi's Behavior
Describing Atishi's behavior as “stubborn,” Sood insisted that the recorded comments should not be dismissed as false. He pointed out that the assembly speaker had read the record verbatim in the house. If the speaker officially reads it, how can it be labeled as false? This is what one would call ‘stealing and then showing defiance.’ Additionally, Sood mentioned that the Delhi Assembly Speaker, Vijender Gupta, has referred the matter to the privilege committee and ordered an investigation into the video for appropriate action.