The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a fresh attack on Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi, accusing her family of having strongly supported Afzal Guru, the convict responsible for the 2001 Parliament attack. This marks the latest in a series of confrontations between the BJP and AAP, with tensions rising over recent controversial remarks made by BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri.
On Tuesday, senior BJP leader Baijayant Jay Panda stated that Atishi’s family had backed Afzal Guru, a claim that has added fuel to the ongoing political dispute. “Her family staunchly supported the Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru,” Panda remarked, intensifying the BJP’s criticism of Atishi.
The two parties have been at odds over several issues, including BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri’s controversial comments aimed at Atishi. In a recent statement, Bidhuri made derogatory remarks about Atishi’s surname, further stirring political unrest. Though Bidhuri later expressed regret over his comments about Priyanka Gandhi, his remarks about Atishi have sparked sharp reactions from both AAP and the Congress.
The AAP has strongly condemned the BJP’s actions, accusing the party of deflecting attention from the real issues facing the Delhi government. The Congress has also criticized Bidhuri for his gender-biased remarks, claiming that his statement reflects the BJP’s broader disregard for women’s dignity.
Further escalating tensions, the BJP has targeted Atishi personally, questioning her stance on her family’s alleged support for Afzal Guru. Praveen Shankar Kapoor, head of the Delhi BJP’s media department, demanded that Atishi clarify whether she condemns her father’s support for the terrorist or justifies his actions. Kapoor’s comments have reignited the controversy over Atishi’s family ties.
Atishi responded to the BJP’s allegations by accusing the party of fabricating false narratives. She claimed that the BJP-led central government had unjustly withdrawn the allotment for her official residence, the ‘Sheesh Mahal’, which the BJP dismissed as lies. BJP IT head Amit Malviya rejected Atishi’s claims, stating that the allotment was canceled due to her failure to take possession of the property and ongoing investigations by the CBI and ED.
In a post on social media, Malviya further stated that Atishi had not yet moved into the residence because of her reluctance to upset AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP has consistently referred to the residence as “Sheesh Mahal,” a term that has become a point of contention following a previous controversy over the renovation expenses of Kejriwal’s own residence.
This exchange of allegations and counterclaims underscores the ongoing political battle between the BJP and AAP, with both parties accusing each other of corruption and misconduct. The stakes are high as the Delhi Assembly election approaches, and these debates are likely to dominate the political discourse in the coming months.
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