New Delhi, Jan. 7 -- The Delhi Assembly's Privileges Committee on Tuesday submitted its first report on the controversy surrounding the alleged "phansi ghar" in the legislative complex, recommending action against four AAP leaders - former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, former speaker Ram Niwas Goel and former deputy speaker Rakhi Birla - for wilfully failing to appear despite repeated notices. In its report, the committee said Kejriwal and the other leaders had "deliberately" and "wilfully" stayed away from its proceedings, and recommended that the House take appropriate action. The AAP termed the committee proceedings a "distraction exercise", alleging the BJP was avoiding a debate on pollution. The "phansi ghar" (gallows) row erupted between the AAP and the BJP over a renovated section of the Delhi Assembly, which the AAP claimed was a British-era gallows chamber, while the BJP maintained that it was merely a tiffin room. Committee chair Pardymn Singh Rajput said, "Notices were issued to the leaders to appear before the panel on September 19 and 23, but Kejriwal and others did not appear. They had the opportunity to present their side, but chose not to." The AAP said, "The BJP is willing to discuss everything except pollution because a serious debate would expose its failures... That is why it is eager to push a so-called 'phansi ghar' issue. The BJP did not even permit a debate on pollution in Parliament." the party said....