New Delhi: A bitter war of words erupted between leaders of the AAP, Congress and the BJP after the saffron party published a cartoon in newspaper, calling AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal of anarchist ‘gotra’ (sub-caste). Kejriwal has called its senior leaders to his residence, and has threatened to move the Election Commission against the BJP.
“BJP must apologize to the entire ‘Agarwal’ community. We will go to the EC. People of Delhi will answer on 7th February,” he said.
“BJP might have problems with me, but addressing entire Agarwal Samaj as updravi is highly objectionable,” he added.
AAP leader Yogendra Yadav also came down heavily on the BJP for the advertisement.
“I’ll say, thank you very much, thanks for doing it, get well soon,” he said.
“I believe people of Delhi will answer this personal attack by BJP on 7th February,” said AAP leader Kumar Vishwas.
The BJP also unleashed the second wave of attack on the AAP.
“AAP is stooping very low in electoral politics, AAP is latching on every effort to drag caste in their electoral calculations,” BJP leader GVLN Rao said.
“AAP takes offence to everything except their acts. If they introspect, perhaps they will become a more responsible party,” Nalin Kohli, BJP leader, said.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has also jumped into the war of words.
“You now have BJP ads directly dividing society on basis of caste/community,this is true character of BJP,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
In the third cartoon of the series, the BJP took potshots at Kejriwal’s dharna just before the Republic Day in 2014, and his demanding an invitation for the Republic Day parade this year. In the small text below the cartoon, the BJP called Kejriwal of upadravi gotra (anarchist gotra).
On Sunday, the BJP released a campaign advertisement against Kejriwal, taking a quip on a pre-poll promise made by him during the last Delhi Assembly elections that he wouldn’t accept government bungalow if he came to power. The BJP also appealed to the voters not to vote for the AAP.
Kejriwal had accepted a government bungalow after becoming the chief minister.
