The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Wednesday alleged that the BJP’s focus on organizing Chhath Puja in Delhi is primarily a political manoeuvre aimed at influencing the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
AAP leaders held a press conference to level a series of accusations against the ruling party.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, the AAP Delhi unit chief, claimed that the BJP is staging a “grand drama” around the festival due to fear of electoral backlash. He stated that the arrangements are a reaction to the standards of governance set by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, suggesting the BJP would lose votes in Bihar if it did not make similar efforts.
On the condition of the Yamuna river, he showed a video from Wednesday morning, claiming it showed toxic foam still present on the river despite the Delhi government’s claims to have cleaned it.
He accused the BJP of deceiving the public by using defoaming chemicals, which the BJP had previously criticized the AAP government for using, calling them “poison.”
AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha contrasted the current BJP government’s efforts with those of the previous AAP administration. He stated that under AAP, nearly 1,000 sites in Delhi received grants and full facilities for Chhath Puja, while the current government has reduced the number of official ghats.
Senior AAP leader Vinay Mishra accused the BJP of having a history of animosity towards people from Purvanchal. He cited past instances, including a letter from a former BJP mayor and comments from other BJP leaders, which he said demonstrated a pattern of discrimination.
The AAP has demanded that the current Delhi government make arrangements at all 1,000 traditional ghats, provide all necessary facilities, and ensure that the festival is not affected by political considerations.