Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today chanted “Jai Shri Ram” at an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) event in Gujarat’s Vadodara, a day after the oath row at a Buddhism event in Delhi.
Targeting the BJP, Mr Kejriwal, AAP’s National Convenor, said: “They are saying bad things about me. I don’t care. But they hate me and are so blind in their hatred that they are even insulting the Gods.”
Earlier, AAP workers removed anti-AAP posters ahead of Mr Kejriwal’s rally. The workers brought down all anti-AAP posters and banners put up on the party chief’s route to the rally venue. Protesting alleged “anti-Hindu” statements by AAP’s Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, supporters of the ruling BJP in Gujarat’s Vadodara tore AAP banners ahead of today’s rally.
At the ‘Tiranga Rally’ that began nearly three hours after the scheduled 4pm start on a rainy day, Mr Kejriwal took to Hindu mythological references to allege that the BJP “insults Gods”. He raised slogans of “Jai Sri Ram” and “Jai Sri Krishna” while calling himself a steadfast devotee.
Delhi minister Mr Gautam found himself in the middle of a controversy yesterday after a video went viral, showing him attending a religious conversion event where Hindu deities were allegedly denounced. At the event, hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism and not consider Hindu deities as Gods.
Following the incident, the BJP launched an attack on Mr Kejriwal, asking him to sack Mr Gautam.