No proposal to take back Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna, clarifies Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday clarified that no such resolution seeking withdrawal of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna was passed in the Delhi Assembly. The clarification from Sisodia came after a massive controversy following the reports of a resolution on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The controversy erupted after AAP MLA Alka Lamba claimed that she was asked to resign after she staged a walkout when she was asked to support the resolution demanding taking back the Bharat Ratna award from Rajiv Gandhi.

"I was asked to support the resolution demanding taking back the Bharat Ratna awarded to former PM Rajiv Gandhi. Since I didn't agree to this, I staged a walkout. I am ready to accept whatever punishment given to me," she said in a tweet.

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Under fire from both the Congress and BJP, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia addressed a press conference to clarify that the resolution passed in the Delhi Assembly on Friday had sought justice for the victims of 1984-anti Sikh riots and Rajiv Gandhi’s name was not mentioned in it. Sisodia also claimed that “no one” was asked to resign.

"No resolution was passed in the Assembly mentioning late PM Rajiv Gandhi as being reported in the media. No one has been asked to resign. We are working peacefully," Sisodia told reporters in a press conference.

According to reports, the resolution claimed that after Rajiv Gandhi failed to curb the violence that broke after the assassination of the former prime minister and his mother Indira Gandhi and Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, conferred upon him should be taken back.

Reacting to the reports, Congress leader Ajay Maken said that Rajiv Gandhi had sacrificed his life for the country and not even the BJP has ever demanded to take back his Bharat Ratna award. He demanded an apology from AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

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“Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed his life for the country, not even BJP has ever demanded to take back Bharat Ratna from him. Kejriwal should apologise and this portion of the resolution should be expunged from the assembly’s proceedings,” ANI quoted Maken as saying.