NEW DELHI: With the BJP trying to corner it over denial of permission for public celebration of Chhath Puja, the AAP government is now seeking to turn the tables by putting the ball in the Centre’s court.
Asserting that the Delhi government was keen to allow Chhath Puja celebrations at public places, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday appealed to the Centre to issue revised guidelines on Covid restrictions and accused the BJP of playing politics over the issue.
On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had written to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, urging the Centre to issue guidelines for the Chhath festival following consultations with medical experts.
However, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari questioned the AAP government’s move saying it should have sought the guidelines before prohibiting the festival if it was “serious”.
“I am sorry to say…you are guilty of hardline Muslim appeasement in Delhi. Through the ban on Chhath, you have hurt the sentiments of Hindus,” Tiwari said in a letter to CM Arvind Kejriwal.
The BJP has been up in arms, trying to rally Purvanchalis, since the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on September 30 prohibited Chhath at riverbanks, water bodies and other public places. Tiwari took out a rath yatya against the ban and was even injured on Tuesday after being hit by a water cannon during a protest outside Kejriwal’s residence.