BJP slams Kejriwal over "failed promises", AAP hits back

AAP and BJP continued to trade charges on Wednesday with the electoral campaign for Delhi elections also gradually picking up momentum. BJP hit out at former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over "failed promises" while AAP leaders accused BJP of preparing to demolish temples.

In a post on X Arvind Kejriwal said, "On one hand, BJP is strongly opposing the payment of honorarium to priests and granthis and on the other hand, it is preparing to demolish temples. People are very angry about this."

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi also attacked the BJP.



"Earlier the 'Religious Committee' used to come under the elected government. After LG sahab's order last year, it comes directly under LG sahab. On November 22, the Religious Committee took the decision to demolish several temples. On one hand, Arvind Kejriwal ji is bringing Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana, on the other hand, BJP is bent on demolishing temples," Atishi said in a post on X.

"I appeal to the BJP government at the Centre: These religious places are related to people's faith; don't destroy the faith of millions of people by demolishing them," she added.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said "the dual face of BJP is revealed through such orders".

"On one hand, they pretend to protect Hinduism, while on the other, they secretly instruct their appointed officers and LG to demolish temples."

She stated that during a meeting of the Religious Committee on November 22, it was decided to demolish several temples located in West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, Seemapuri, Gokalpuri, New Usmanpur, and Sultanpuri, as well as a Buddhist temple in Sundar Nagari.

"A meeting of the Religious Committee was held on 22 November. Yesterday LG's office told the media that there is no order to demolish temples. But this is a lie. In the meeting held on 22 November, it was decided to demolish many temples located in West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, Seemapuri, Gokalpuri, New Usmanpur and Sultanpuri and a Buddhist temple located in Sundar Nagari. All this is in the minutes of the meeting."

"Delhi LG has approved it and now DMs and SDMs are preparing to demolish these temples," she added.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a scathing on the AAP and its convenor Arvind Kejriwal and pointed out 10 issues which Kejriwal had promised to change, but he did things contrary to his promise.

Addressing a press conference, Trivedi stated that in today's politics most challenging thing was a "crisis of credibility" and the Aam Aadmi Party came with the vision to bring in new politics, but in Delhi, he actually did things contrary to his promises.

Trivedi cited 10 examples, including the issue of live wires, 24*7 clean water, a world-class education system, women's safety, improved medical treatment, pollution-free Delhi, providing basic amenities to the unauthorised colonies, cleaning garbage heap, homes for slum dwellers and Yamuna cleaning, where "Kejriwal instead of solving the problem, did nothing."

The BJP MP stated that the BJP and NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi established authenticity in politics whereas AAP streams opposite of this vision.

"Before anything happens in this English New Year, I want to remind that Aam Aadmi Party came with the vision to bring in the new politics. In today's politics, the most challenging thing was 'crisis of credibility.' There is a thinking among the public that leaders don't do anything which they say, but this narrative was changed by BJP and NDA under the leadership of PM Modi. We established authenticity in the politics and AAP is the opposite stream of this vision. They never do what they say. Today I want to count 10 points which AAP and Kejriwal said and what they actually did," Trivedi said.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal also lashed out at Kejriwal, saying that the Delhi government's treasury was empty and the announcements made by the former Chief Minister were merely a "political stunt."

"He (Arvind Kejriwal) is an expert at making announcements. First, he announced money for Imams and couldn't fulfil and now he is targeting Pujari and Granthi. This is a political stunt and their treasury is empty. Arvind Kejriwal will not give anyone anything. Why don't they give it now since they are in power in Delhi? They won't give because they don't intend to. The intention is only to get benefit electorally," Khandelwal told ANI.

Dates for assembly polls in Delhi are expected to be announced in a few days.