Delhi BJP candidates accuse AAP of being anti-Dalit after silence on Ambedkar statue vandalism

New Delhi: Delhi BJP’s candidates on Friday questioned AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on their silence on the attack on the BR Ambedkar statue in Amritsar.

“If Arvind Kejriwal is silent on the attack on the Ambedkar’s statue, will he also remain silent if an MLA from the Dalit community faces injustice tomorrow?” the candidates at a press conference. They said Kejriwal’s silence had exposed AAP’s anti-Dalit stance. They also remarked that Kejriwal had never given Rajya Sabha representation to a Dalit or appointed a Dalit deputy chief minister.

The BJP candidate from Karol Bagh, Dushyant Kumar Gautam, alleged that AAP had exploited Dalits for 12 years and was now panicking as Dalits now stood against him. “They didn’t even hesitate to get Baba Saheb’s statue demolished. I ask AAP’s 12 Dalit candidates — will they tolerate this insult to Ambedkar?” Gautam said.

BJP’s Patel Nagar candidate, Raj Kumar Anand, said: “Baba Saheb’s statue was vandalised in Punjab, and no strict action has been taken yet. This is an insult to the Dalit community, and we will not tolerate it.” Anand left AAP in April 2024 and joined BSP. He contested from the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, which has Patel Nagar in it. After losing the election, he switched to BJP in July 2024.

Priyanka Gautam, who moved from AAP to BJP this month, challenged Kejriwal to name a single initiative he has made for Ambedkar. “If he has installed even a single Ambedkar statue, let him show proof. BJP, on the other hand, is providing reservations beyond the mandated seats, proving its commitment to Dalit empowerment,” the BJP candidate from Kondli said.

Rinku Kumari, who has been fielded from Seemapuri (SC) by BJP, accused AAP of using Dalits as a mere vote bank. “They exploit us during elections but trample on our rights afterwards,” she said.

BJP warned that the Dalit community would seek justice on Feb 5. Its councillor from Ram Nagar and candidate from Ballimaran, Kamal Bagri, accused Kejriwal of deceiving Dalits, first in Delhi and now in Punjab. “Even after five days, Kejriwal has not uttered a single word about this incident,” he said.

At the time of reporting, AAP had not reacted to any of the charges.

Courtesy : TOI

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