BJP requests EC to censure AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and party candidate Atishi for berating it

New Delhi, Apr 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday filed complaints with authorities against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), seeking "censure" of party chief Arvind Kejriwal and East Delhi candidate Atishi for allegedly making "derogatory" statements and for distributing pamphlets asking voters to take money from the BJP and the Congress but vote for the ruling party in Delhi.

With campaign for Lok Sabha elections gaining momentum in Delhi, both the BJP and the AAP have been lodging complaints against one another with the Election Commission (EC) and courts over alleged violations of the model code of conduct.

In a complaint filed by BJP leaders including Union minister Vijay Goel, the party demanded the EC to censure Kejriwal and Atishi for indulging in "constant abuse of the Opposition" and using language which is not only "derogatory, unparliamentary and defamatory" but in "gross violation" of the model code of conduct and electoral laws. In the complaint, Goel and other BJP leaders cited alleged statements of Kejriwal and Atishi against the party.

"In a press conference on April 25, Kejriwal, with the sole intention of creating hatred, ill will and disharmony between the communities, made a deliberate and false statement by saying that BJP considers Muslims, Christians, Jains, Parsis and other minorities of India as infiltrators. "Again, on April 28, while addressing a media meet the AAP candidate from East Delhi Atishi Marlena said in order to defeat BJP even if people have to vote for goons, they should not hesitate," said the BJP complaint.

In a democracy, there should be healthy debate and criticism should be based on facts. No unverified allegations should be made as it spreads misinformation and pollutes the electoral environment, the BJP said in the complaint. "It is requested that the Election Commission should censure Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi Marlena from holding public meetings and processions, interviews to print and electronic media, in connection with ongoing elections," the BJP demanded.

BJP's Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta in a press conference alleged that pamphlets were being distributed that accused the BJP and Congress of distributing money on the eve of elections and asked voters to take the money but vote for the AAP. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP on the BJP's allegations. Gupta also claimed that in a written answer in the Assembly, the AAP government had admitted that only 1,931 houses were allotted to the slum dwellers between 2010 and 2019, yet the party was claiming in its pamphlets distributed in slum clusters that 10,000 houses were given to them.

Gupta along with party leader Arti Mehra met the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi and lodged another complaint against the AAP demanding action against the party for violations of the model code of conduct. Delhi BJP's media in-charge for Lok Sabha polls Ravinder Gupta said that he has a separate complaint against the AAP with the Delhi Police Commissioner and the EC seeking action against its pamphlets to divert attention of people from real issues by making "false" claims.

AAP leaders, including Atishi and party's South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha, have also lodged complaints with poll panels and filed cases in city courts against their respective BJP opponents Gautam Gambhir and Ramesh Bidhuri over nomination related matters and alleged violations of the model code of conduct.

PTI