New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) The AAP on Monday accused the BJP MP from New Delhi, Bansuri Swaraj, of conspiring to derail the Chhath festivities by preventing the people from gathering at the city’s Chirag Dilli ghat.
A political slugfest between the AAP and BJP has been going on for days over the preparation of river ghats where lakhs of devotees gather to pray to the Sun god.
The issue assumes significance as the Purvanchalis — Bhojpuri-speaking people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand — settled in Delhi are an influential vote bank, accounting for 30 to 40 per cent of the around 1.5 crore votes in the national capital. Assembly polls in Delhi are due in February next year.
Addressing a press conference, AAP MLA from Greater Kailash and Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the festival has been held with fanfare in the last eight years and it will go as planned this time well.
“This time too, the Delhi government had given all the permissions, and this ghat is also named among the 1,000 Chhath Ghats of Delhi. But this time they are not being allowed to worship here. Bansuri Swaraj is behind this conspiracy,” he said.
The BJP in response said the minister’s accusations have “hurt” the sentiments of the people. It also alleged that the city government failed to prepare enough ghats ahead of the festival.
“The people from Purvanchal are distressed by the dirty water of the Yamuna, the lack of ghats along the riverbank, and the delay in the construction of over 800 out of 1,060 ghats. Additionally, attempts by Saurabh Bharadwaj and other MLAs to politically take over temporary ghats have hurt sentiments,” the party said in a statement.
A Delhi Development Authority official said that an area of 6,000 square metres had been already allowed for Chhath festivities.
Bharadwaj had on Saturday staged a dharna alleging that the BJP-controlled DDA was stopping Purvanchali people from setting up the Chhath ghat.
The BJP in its turn alleged that Bharadwaj was obstructing arrangements at the Satpula DDA park near Chirag Delhi Village.
A day later, Bansuri Swaraj called him a “symbol of political deceit and hypocrisy.” “His primary agenda is to spread lies and confusion, engage in negative politics, and misuse his position for self-promotion,” she said. PTI MHS MHS VN VN
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