New BJP Ad Attacks Arvind Kejriwal Over 'Gotra' or Caste
Aam Aadmi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that he will complain to the Election Commission against the BJP for allegedly attacking his community in an advertisement.
"BJP in the past few days has been giving few advertisements personally attacking me. They attacked 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," he told reporters.
"They have called the entire community 'updravi'. BJP's fight is with me, whatever they have to say they should say it against me, they should not attack the entire Aggarwal community," he said.
BJP advertisement uses the term 'upadravi (nuisance causing) gotra'.
The BJP advertisement targets Kejriwal for threatening to disrupt the Republic Day parade last year while complaining this year that he was not been invited for the event.
"Desh ke karodon log gantantra divas ko rashtriya parv mante hain, us par garv karte hain (The country's crores of people consider Republic Day as a national festival and feel proud about it). Aur apka updravi gotra isme vyavdhan dalne ko taiyar tha (And your trouble maker community was ready to disrupt it).
"This is unacceptable and they should apologise to the entire community. We will complain to EC that BJP has stooped down to racial attacks. Delhi's people do not like this abusive politics," Kejriwal said.
The AAP chief also called a meeting of top party leaders at his residence to deliberate on the issue.
AAP leader Ashutosh came down heavily on the BJP, saying people will teach the saffron party a lesson in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
"BJP must withdraw the ad within 2 hours and apologise publicly or we'll be forced to take action," Ashutosh said.
Reacting to Kejriwal's claims, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said "AAP takes offence to everything except their own acts. If they introspect, perhaps they will become a more responsible party."
Delhi is going to polls on February 7 and counting of votes will be held on February 10.