New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied having made any caste reference in an election advertisement that mocked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal. The saffron party has accused the AAP of giving it a religious or caste-based connotation.
The BJP took out an ad in the Delhi newspapers today, slamming what it called Kejriwal's 'updrabi (or anarchist) gotra,' featuring a caricature of the AAP leader waving a jhadu at a Republic Day parade. The ad shows him threatening to disrupt the Republic Day parade one year and asking for a VIP pass for the next year's parade.
Union power minister Piyush Goyal said that the AAP is trying to misconstrue a metaphor used in the political context. He insisted that the word "gotra" was not intended to mean caste but to describe "AAP's disruptive politics." The BJP also complained to the Election Commission against the party.
"The remark was made metaphorically, to depict AAP's DNA, its political philosophy, which is of anarchy," Goyal said.
"We don't ever divide society on caste lines. They (AAP) are twisting it, they do not understand what a political metaphor is. We used the word 'upadravi' metaphorically," Goyal added.
The BJP also asked the AAP to 'introspect' and become a 'responsible' party.
"If they contemplate or introspect about their own actions, perhaps, they may become a more responsible party," said BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli.
Kejriwal had said earlier today that his party will meet Election Commission officials and complain against the BJP for allegedly attacking his entire community in the advertisement.
"The BJP in the past few days has been coming out with few advertisements personally attacking me. They attacked me and my children, I kept quiet because Anna used to say that if someone personally attacks you, you should have the strength to bear it. But today they have crossed their limit," Kejriwal told reporters.
"They have called an entire community 'updravi'. The BJP's fight is with me, whatever they have to say they should say it against me, they should not attack the Aggarwal community," he said.
AAP leader Ashutosh came down heavily on the BJP, saying people will teach the saffron party a lesson in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.
