AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that the BJP has insulted the Dalits in Delhi by fielding a candidate from Punjab in a reserved seat in Delhi.
“The BJP has come with a singer from Punjab, Hans Raj Hans. The BJP is saying there is no Scheduled Caste brother from Delhi who is worthy, all are useless, that is why they imported some from Punjab. God must have made something special,” Mr. Kejriwal said while addressing a roadshow in North West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday morning. Mr. Hans is BJP’s candidate from the constituency.
“The BJP has insulted the entire Dalit community in Delhi. All Dalits must come together and teach them a lesson. Take the broom [AAP’s party symbol] and sweep the BJP away with the broom, so that they will remember it,” he added.
Mr. Kejriwal also attacked the BJP candidate for him being an outsider. “If someone falls sick at your house, will you go to Punjab to get your work done. If a police case happens, will go to Punjab to get your work done? If someone comes to demolish your house, will you go looking for him in Punjab? Gugan ji [AAP candidate] lives among you people. If some emergency happens tomorrow, you can knock at his door at 12 in the night and get your work done,” the AAP chief added.
“The people of Delhi’s Dalit community are very angry with the BJP. There is a Dalit seat in Delhi and the BJP is fielded somebody from Punjab. The BJP was not able to give a single ticket to Delhi’s Dalits. In BJP’s eyes, Delhi’s Dalits are not worthy of being an MP. Dalits will take revenge to this insult by BJP,” Kejriwal said in a tweet, later in the day.
The BJP, in reaction to Mr. Kejriwal’s comments accused the AAP chief of attempting to divide the people of Delhi.
“Till yesterday, Mr. Hans was not a Dalit for as far as Mr. Kejriwal was concerned. When his lie in this regard was caught, he began this new drama. Arvind Kejriwal himself hails from Haryana and happens to be the Chief Minister of Delhi. Do not attempt to divide people on the basis of communities, castes and regions Mr. Kejriwal. The people of Delhi are aware of your conspiracy,” the Delhi BJP tweeted.
Meanwhile, the party’s national general secretary Arun Singh said, “He [Kejriwal] alleged that Mr. Hans is a Muslim for which the Valmiki community of not only Delhi but entire country will not forgive him. Mr. Hans has established his identity not only in the country but the entire world. He has also been awarded a Padma Shri for his work by the Central government.”