New Delhi: The BJP on Friday attacked AAP over the inclusion of MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, who recently quit as minister amid a row over attending a religious conversion event here, in its list of star campaigners for the MCD polls, accusing it of taking an “anti-Hindu” stand.
Gautam had resigned last month from the Arvind Kejriwal-led government after courting controversy over attending a religious conversion programme in which Hindu deities were allegedly insulted.
“Arvind Kejriwal has been exposed… he is anti-Hindu as Gautam, who abused Hindu deities, has been made a star campaigner of AAP for the MCD polls,” charged BJP MP Manoj Tiwari.
Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga said Gautam’s nomination as star campaigner exposes the “anti-Hindu face” of the chief minister and the AAP.
Gautam’s elevation as AAP’s star campaigner proves that Kejriwal was behind the anti-Hindu agenda furthered by the former minister, alleged BJP leader Kapil Mishra.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor accused Kejriwal of not having any respect for the sentiments of Hindus.
Gautam had “hurt” the sentiments of Hindus by speaking against their deities. His removal as a minister was an “eyewash” and Kejriwal has proved it by including him in the AAP’s start campaigners’ list, Kapoor said.
“Time and again, Aam Aadmi Party leaders have hurt Hindu and Sikh sentiments and Kejriwal has allowed them to go scot-free,” Kapoor charged.
The AAP on Friday announced its star campaigners for the December 4 MCD polls, naming Kejriwal, Gautam, and former cricketer and sitting Rajya Sabha member Harbhajan Singh.
The list of 30 also includes the likes of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha members Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and ND Gupta.
The 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) goes to polls on December 4 and the counting of votes will take place on December 7.
The BJP has been in power in the MCD — trifurcated in 2012 into north, south and east corporations and then unified this year — for three straight terms.
The civic polls are largely being seen as a three-cornered contest between the BJP, the AAP and the Congress. PTI
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