NEW DELHI: In his first significant public engagement since the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) defeat in the Delhi elections, Arvind Kejriwal has renewed his criticism of the Congress, a partner in the INDIA bloc. At the AAP’s “Ek Shaam Shaheedon Ke Naam” event on Sunday, Kejriwal accused both the BJP and Congress of collaborating, claiming that neither party appreciates the legacies of national figures Bhagat Singh and B.R. Ambedkar.
“We honor Bhagat Singh and Baba Saheb Ambedkar as our guiding principles. Their images adorn our homes as well as every office of the Delhi and Punjab governments. The new government in Delhi made it a priority to replace their images with those of its own leaders. We were expecting the BJP to announce a financial aid of Rs 2,500 for women, but their first act was to erase the images of Bhagat Singh and Baba Saheb,” Kejriwal stated.
He further remarked, “When we displayed their portraits, Congress objected, insisting that Gandhiji’s portrait was missing. However, they remained silent when the BJP eliminated the images of these two figures. There is a collusion at play here.”
Kejriwal reminisced about how Bhagat Singh’s letters from prison reached his comrades, even when critical of the British. In contrast, he claimed that his own letter from jail failed to reach the Lieutenant Governor, leading instead to a show cause notice against him. “Bhagat Singh had the liberty to write without constraints, but I wasn’t even permitted to pen a two-line note,” he stated, branding the BJP as “worse than the British.”
“I wrote to the LG stating I was in jail and requested permission for Atishi to hoist the flag. There was nothing amiss with that request. I submitted the letter to the jail superintendent, yet it never reached the LG, and instead I received a notice questioning my audacity to send such a message. You (BJP) are worse than the British,” he expressed.
AAP faced a notable electoral defeat in Delhi, with the BJP winning 48 out of 70 seats. Kejriwal’s return to the public sphere at the Shaheed Diwas event is a crucial moment for the party as it seeks to regain its footing. The gathering, held at AAP headquarters, included senior leaders, MLAs, councillors, and party officials.
Kejriwal’s remarks underscore the growing rift between AAP and Congress, previously allies during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but turned into fierce adversaries during the Delhi assembly campaign. The electoral battleground featured intense personal attacks from Rahul Gandhi, who accused Kejriwal of corruption and misgovernance. Congress blamed AAP for the alleged liquor scam and criticized Kejriwal for failing to uphold the legacy of previous Congress-led administrations in Delhi.
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The hostility between AAP and Congress intensified leading up to the elections, with Kejriwal frequently countering Gandhi’s allegations. “Modi incarcerates individuals based on fabricated cases like the liquor scam. Why haven’t you and your family been implicated in irrefutable cases such as National Herald? Why did Robert Vadra receive a clean slate from the BJP? It’s better if you refrain from lecturing about courage,” he retorted to Gandhi’s attacks. He further accused Congress of conspiring with the BJP to undermine AAP.
