AAP slams BJP for advertisement with Anna Hazare's garlanded sketch

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party today lashed out at BJP for its newspaper advertisement featuring a garlanded sketch of Anna Hazare, accusing the saffron party of "killing" the "second Gandhi" on Martyrs' Day, and demanded that it apologise.

The party also accused BJP of "following (Nathuram) Godse's ideology while they talk of Gandhi".

Stating that the ad goes against the Election Commission guidelines, the party also demanded the intervention of the poll body.

"On the day the Mahatma was assassinated, they have killed the second Gandhi which reflects their narrow mentality. The ad is not only in poor taste it also goes against EC guidelines. The EC should take note and act appropriately," senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal was a close aide of Anna Hazare during the 2011 anti-graft movement but later fell out with him.

The party also demanded a public apology from BJP. "The ad has stemmed out of their frustration and despondency. If they have an iota of shame left they should publicly apologise for indulging in such negative campaigning," Singh said.

Earlier, AAP chief Kejriwal took to twitter to take a jibe at BJP asking whether BJP had "killed" the veteran anti-corruption crusader.

"Nathuram Godse killed Gandhiji on this day in 1948. BJP has killed Anna in its ad today. Shudn't BJP apologise?" he wrote, referring to the advertisement.