BJP, Cong attack AAP as it denies passing resolution to revoke Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna

The opposition BJP and Congress fired salvos at the AAP on Saturday saying it was resorting to "drama politics", even as the ruling party denied passing a resolution in the Delhi Assembly seeking revocation of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said if no such resolution was passed, then why the AAP was denying it now.

"If the resolution moved by the ruling party MLA was not passed, then the government should resign," he told reporters.

"It is an example of drama politics of the AAP in which public exchequer is being misused to make a mockery of the Legislative Assembly," Tiwari alleged.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken demanded an apology from AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on the issue.

Sharing a video of Friday's assembly proceedings, Maken claimed "the resolution was passed by the AAP in Delhi Assembly".

"Presiding over, is the speaker of Delhi Assembly, who was a BJP MLA in the 1st Delhi Assembly in 1993. Will not rest till Kejriwal apologises and withdraws this resolution! Call a special session," he tweeted.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Goel alleged the controversial issue has "exposed the two-faced character of the AAP".

"The level to which Aam Aadmi Party can stoop, one instance can be seen in the resolution it passed in the Assembly... AAP is merely shedding crocodile tears on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots," he said.

The minister also alleged that the AAP was worried more about the "alliance with the Congress" than the pains of the Sikh community.

BJP's leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta claimed Chief Minister Kejriwal has "joined hands with the Congress" and wants to go back on the resolution, seeking revocation of the Bharat Ratna conferred on Gandhi, to "reach an understanding" with the Congress.

"The AAP should clarify what is its first priority - justice for Sikhs or understanding with the Congress," Gupta said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia at a press conference Saturday clarified that the lines about Gandhi were not part of the original resolution placed before the House.

He also said that it was a handwritten amendment proposed by a member, and it cannot be passed in such a manner.

"The aim of the original resolution, moved by MLA Jarnail Singh, was only to help the victims of 1984 riots get justice. No resolution mentioning late PM Rajiv Gandhi was passed in the assembly as being reported in the media," Sisodia said.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj, who narrated the entire sequence of events in the assembly, clarified that any amendment to a resolution can become a part of the original only after it has been separately voted on by the House, which did not happen in this case.