Delhi Legislative Assembly renames 'Hanging Place' to 'Lunch Room'
In a significant development, the Privileges Committee of the Delhi Assembly has initiated an in-depth investigation into the controversial renaming of a room on the Assembly premises, known as 'Phansi Ghar', to 'Tiffin Room'. The investigation follows assertions by the Speaker, Vijender Gupta, that there is no historical evidence of an execution room on the Assembly premises.
The committee has been tasked with summoning key former officials, including former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, former Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, and former Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, to shed light on the claims regarding the naming and historical characterization of the room in question.
Speaker Gupta's stance denies the existence of a historical execution room on the premises. He displayed a 1912 map during a House session on Wednesday, which identifies the structure as a "tiffin room" instead. The original naming and inauguration of the room as 'Phansi Ghar' were done by Kejriwal’s government in 2022, a move that the current Speaker disputes as a distortion of history and "falsehood."
In response, the plaque bearing Kejriwal's name was ordered removed, and the map labeling it a "tiffin room" is to be displayed. Gupta characterised the previous naming as offensive to the sentiments tied to patriotism and martyrs, noting that the room had been a dining space during British rule. He also referenced consultations with multiple historical research institutions who found no documentation supporting it as an execution site.
The investigation is ongoing as per the Speaker’s directive, with the removal of the foundation plaque scheduled to take place in due course of time. It is important to note that there are two such rooms in the Assembly complex, and the news does not provide specific details about who decided to rename 'Phansi Ghar' to 'Tiffin Room'.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was the previous government, and it was the party's administration that claimed 'Phansi Ghar' existed. However, Speaker Gupta asserted it did not. The news does not provide specific details about the context in which 'Phansi Ghar' was claimed by the previous AAP government or who currently holds the position of Chief Minister.
This represents the latest confirmed developments through August 8, 2025, and the investigation is ongoing. More details are expected to emerge as the Privileges Committee delves deeper into the matter.
- The Privileges Committee of the Delhi Assembly, currently investigating the controversy over the renaming of 'Phansi Ghar' to 'Tiffin Room', has been tasked with questioning key former officials, including Arvind Kejriwal, who was the Former Chief Minister at the time.
- The ongoing investigation follows assertions by Speaker Vijender Gupta, who disputes the claim that a historical execution room existed on the Assembly premises and believes the previous government's naming of 'Phansi Ghar' is a distortion of history and "falsehood".
- As the Privileges Committee delves deeper into the matter, it is essential to follow the general news for updates on policy-and-legislation, politics, and the ongoing investigation, with potential implications for India's government and cricket, particularly in the context of symbolism and representation.
