Delhi polls: AAP attempting to polarise votes, says BJP on Shahi Imam's fatwa

NEW DELHI: Attacking AAP for seeking a ' fatwa' in its favour and then rejecting it, BJP today accused the party of doing communal politics and said it stood exposed for attempting to polarise votes ahead of Delhi elections.

BJP said the 'fatwa' by Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari appealing Muslims to vote for AAP earlier in the day was an insult to the majority and asked all those opposed to it, to come out and vote against those who sought the religious pronouncement.

"Aam Aadmi Party stands exposed for doing communal politics. They are completely rattled and that is why they are attempting to polarise votes on communal lines," Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

She accused AAP of being habitual to such politics, saying that "they first ask for some (support) and then reject it saying they did not ask for it".

Asked about the 'fatwa', Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "Such fatwas have been issued earlier too. Such a fatwa was also issued in Gujarat too in the past. Those who are against such fatwas should come out to vote 100 per cent."

BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said "this is an insult to the majority population who believe in the unity and integrity of the country and support the politics of good governance and development. They will reject such politics."

Party spokesperson M J Akbar said, "AAP has shrunk to extraordinary depths. It is using both alcohol and fatwa. But they don't realise that the Delhi and Indian voter is not communal. Any appeal on communal lines becomes counter-productive."