New Delhi [India]: The war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has intensified ahead of the Delhi polls, with BJP leaders targeting former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for being a “chunavi Hindu” (seasonal Hindu) and AAP leaders hitting back.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of insulting Sanatan Dharma and misrepresenting the sacred text Ramcharitmanas. He alleged that Kejriwal’s interest in temples is opportunistic and tied to elections.
“The way Arvind Kejriwal has misinterpreted Shri Ramcharitmanas and insulted Sanatana, this is not the first time. These people are Adharmi. During elections, he suddenly remembers Ram Temple and other temples,” Sachdeva told ANI.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also criticized Kejriwal, questioning his understanding of Ramayana.
“I think he (Arvind Kejriwal) does not understand the basics of Ramayana. They seem to target communities like Sikhs. If you want to attack me, do that, but why target the Sikh community?” Puri remarked.
Kejriwal recently warned residents of Vishwas Nagar to avoid falling into BJP’s “trap,” claiming, “Ravana turned into a golden deer to kidnap Sita,” a statement that BJP leaders refuted, clarifying that it was the demon Marich who had done so, as per Ramayana.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari labeled Kejriwal a “chunavi Hindu,” asserting, “He has little knowledge of Ramayana and cannot recite it properly. His ‘chunavi Hindu’ face is now exposed to the people of Delhi and the nation.”
In response, Kejriwal accused BJP of revering Ravana due to their “demonic nature.”
“Yesterday, I mentioned Ravana came as a golden deer. BJP is claiming I insulted Ravana. They love Ravana so much because of their demonic nature. To the people living in slums and poor sections, beware—they will devour you like demons if they come to power,” he said.
AAP leader and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia took a swipe, suggesting BJP’s defense of Ravana made them “descendants of Ravana.”
Meanwhile, BJP released the second part of its manifesto, promising financial support to students and welfare schemes for domestic workers and drivers. The promises include:
- Life insurance cover of up to ₹10 lakh for domestic workers and auto/taxi drivers.
- Free education for needy students, including ₹15,000 assistance for competitive exam preparation.
- Reimbursement of travel costs and application fees for competitive exams.
Union Minister Puri highlighted strong anti-incumbency sentiments against AAP, citing poor air quality and pollution in Yamuna River.
“Kejriwal is under immense pressure. Anti-incumbency is strong—people are finding it hard to breathe, AQI is often very poor, and the Yamuna is 500-2,000 times more polluted,” Puri stated.