A controversial BJP advertisement purportedly targeting AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's "gotra" triggered a war of words with both the parties rushing to the Election Commission to file complaints against each other.
A controversial BJP advertisement purportedly targeting AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's "gotra" triggered a war of words with both the parties rushing to the Election Commission to file complaints against each other.
While Kejriwal slammed the BJP for having "crossed their limit" by "attacking" his gotra (clan) in the advertisement that appeared in several newspapers and thereby denigrating the entire Agarwal community, the BJP accused him of giving casteist overtone to the issue.
"BJP in the past few days has been putting out ads personally attacking me and my children, I kept quiet because Anna used to say that if someone personally attacks you, you should have the strength to bear it. But today they have crossed their limit and denigrated the entire Agarwal community. They should apologise for it," he told reporters.
Complaining to the EC, BJP alleged that AAP had violated the model code of conduct by trying to give "casteist and religious tone" to a "political statement" made by it in an advertisement ."We have highlighted to EC about the unfortunate incident of use of caste in the election process (by AAP) which is in violation of the Model Code," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters after meeting the EC officials here.
While the AAP in its complaint slammed the saffron party for having "tagged an entire sect of the Indian society and called them 'updravi' (anarchist)". The BJP advertisement targets Kejriwal for allegedly threatening to disrupt the Republic Day parade last year while complaining this year that he was not been invited for the event. "The country's crores of people consider Republic Day as a national festival and feel proud about it," the ad said adding that Kejriwal, belonging to an 'anarchist gotra' was ready to even disrupt it.
Senior AAP leader Yogendra Yadav wondered whether the EC had "seen" the advertisement before it went to print. "As per the rules, EC has to approve any advertisement before it goes to print. We will ask the EC if they had seen the advertisement," he said. "There was lot of hue and cry when Arvind Kejriwal had called himself a 'baniya'. I want to see what will be the reaction to this advertisement now," added Yadav.
Kejriwal has often described himself as a "baniya" to reach out to traders' community, which have traditionally supported BJP. Another ad released by BJP last week that had Anna Hazare's portrait garlanded had prompted AAP to ask whether the saffron party had "killed" the veteran anti-corruption crusader. Meanwhile, BJP defended itself saying that the Aam Aadmi Party takes offence to everything other than their own actions.
"AAP takes offence to everything except their own acts... they have problems with everything except their own actions," BJP leader Nalin Kohli told reporters, adding "if they (AAP) contemplate or introspect about their own actions, perhaps, they may become a more responsible party." Congress also hit out at BJP saying the party is trying to divide the society on the basis of caste and community. "You now have an advertisement by BJP directly dividing the society on basis of caste and community. This is the 'chaal, chehra, charitra' of BJP, its true identity. PM Modi practises eloquent silence," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters
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