Posters of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal wearing a skull cap, coupled with the “anti-Hindu” label, marked the beginning of the politician’s two-day campaign visit to Gujarat on Saturday.
The posters and life sized banners surfaced in cities and highways with a message “Anti Hindu Kejriwal go back” or “I don’t consider Hindu Gods” with a picture of Mr. Kejriwal wearing a skull cap.
Such posters and banners cropped up in cities like Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara, a day after a controversy erupted over a video clip showing AAP’s Delhi Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at a “religious conversion” event, where hundreds could be heard taking an oath denouncing Hindu deities and rituals of the Hindu religion.
Taking it on the chin, Mr. Kejriwal said, “These people put up posters and hoardings against me after learning that I am coming. They can say anything against me but why insult our Gods in these posters and banners with such messages.”
Leading the Triranga Yatra in Vadodara, he also named the BJP leaders as the “descendants of Kansa”. “Do you think people of Gujarat will tolerate such insulting words for our gods? They are descendants of Kansa who are insulting our gods like this,” he said, taking on the BJP in a latest political fight between the ruling party and new entrant in the State’s political landscape in the State.
Calling himself a “devotee of Lord Hanuman,” the Delhi Chief Minister reminded that he was born on Janmashthmi (Lord Krishna’s birth day) as the God had sent him to destroy the lumpen goons and descendants of Kansa.
He also promised free pilgrimage to Ayodhya after the grand temple is built there.
During the Triranga Yatra, there was a minor clash between the workers of BJP and AAP as the former stood holding a banner saying “Anti Hindu Kejriwal go back.” AAP workers had removed the anti-AAP posters in places where Mr. Kejriwal was participating in events, be it Dahod or Vadodara.
On Friday, the Gujarat BJP said that people will teach AAP a lesson in the upcoming Assembly elections over its Delhi Minister Gautam taking oath denouncing Hindu deities and Hindu rituals in a “conversion event” at the national capital.
Gujarat’s Education Minister Jitu Vaghani said the AAP Minister insulted Hindu deities and rituals that are centres of devotion for the people of Gujarat, and asked Mr. Kejriwal to take strict action against him by sending him to jail.
