Highlights
- Kejriwal said he was born on Janmashtami and God has assigned him a special task
- The task is to finish off descendants of Kans
- The AAP convener remarks have come after posters of him calling anti-Hindu surfaced in Gujarat
Gujarat Elections 2022: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said he was born on Janmashtami and God has assigned him a special task to finish off "descendants" of demon Kans on a day posters calling him "anti-Hindu" surfaced in poll-bound Gujarat.
Amid a row over his cabinet colleague in Delhi purportedly denouncing Hindu deities, Kejriwal's 'Tiranga Yatra' cum roadshow in Vadodara city was opposed by BJP workers in the evening who shouted 'Modi, Modi' and waved black flags at him in various localities.
The Yatra, scheduled to start at 4:30 pm from the Nyay Mandir area, was delayed by almost two hours as workers of BJP and AAP came face to face.
Some posters of AAP were torn.
Addressing the yatra from an open truck in the Nyay Mandir area, Kejriwal said he was a "staunch devotee of Lord Hanuman" and claimed the posters have used words that are insulting to God.
Referring to the posters, he said the 'Asuri' (demonic) powers are united against him who are the sons of Kans.
"They insult God and his devotees and indulge in hooliganism and violence".
Banners terming Kejriwal "anti-Hindu" and showing him wearing a skull cap surfaced in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, and Vadodara cities on Saturday.
"I would like to tell them that I was born on Krishna Janmashtami. And God has sent me with a special task-- to finish off these descendants of Kansa, to rid the public of corrupt people and hooligans," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener said and shouted "Jai Shri Ram" and "Jai Shri Krishna".
As the yatra proceeded towards its destination- Polo Grounds, workers of Bharatiya Janata Party shouted 'Modi, Modi' at various spots.
Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann are on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat beginning Saturday. Many state AAP leaders accompanied Kejriwal during the yatra.
Interestingly, Kejriwal's invocation of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna came against the backdrop of a video clip purportedly showing Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at an event where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism while denouncing Hindu deities went viral.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s national convener also said that he would work with people to fulfil God's desire.
"God is with me. People are with me. People want a change, which is why they are so upset," he said on the first day of his latest visit to the state.
Along with Kejriwal's pictures, some banners carried lines like "I consider Hindu religion as madness", while some others had an "anti-Hindu Kejriwal go back" message.
Kejriwal claimed posters and hoardings were put up against him as soon as he planned to visit Gujarat.
"The words used in these posters were against God. They have insulted God. Whosoever is behind these posters have become so blind in their hatred for me that they did not even spare God and used abusive words against Him," he alleged.
Kejriwal said he is a staunch devotee of Lord Hanuman.
"Lord Hanuman's infinite grace is upon me. All these 'Asuri' (demonic) powers are united against me. They are the sons of Kans who insult God and his devotees, and indulge in hooliganism and violence," he said.
According to mythology, Kans, a tyrrant ruler of Mathura, was killed by Lord Krishna. Ahead of the 'Tiranga Yatra', Vadodara city BJP president Vijay Shah said the party will oppose the rally.
"It is for them (AAP) to decide whether to take out the rally amid the environment of opposition due to their anti-Hindu mindset. People are strongly opposing the programme, so they should not dare to carry out political campaigning," he said.
The latest row erupted after Rajendra Pal Gautam's video clip of a "religious conversion" event wherein hundreds can be heard taking an oath denouncing Hindu deities.
On Friday, BJP said the people of Gujarat will teach AAP a lesson in the upcoming Assembly elections over Gautam denouncing Hindu deities.
Addressing a rally at Dahod earlier in the day, Kejriwal had said if voted to power in Gujarat, the AAP government will bear the entire expenses of people who want to visit Ayodhya for Lord Ram's darshan.
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