NEW DELHI: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Friday claimed that the hateful mentality of the BJP towards Dalits is preventing a reserved category candidate from becoming the mayor of Delhi. Aiming to prevent a member of the Dalit community from occupying the mayor’s chair, the BJP conspired to delay the election of MCD mayor through the L-G, Singh said.
Singh lashed out at the BJP for their prejudice against the reserved communities of society and said that even after 75 years of independence, the BJP wants to engage in the politics of discrimination and hatred in the country. The BJP seeks to strip the constitutional rights given to these communities by abolishing the Constitution and ending reservation, he alleged.
He stated, “I am reminded of historical incidents when people, whose ideologies have inspired the BJP, used to ‘purify’ the seat used by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, by sprinkling Gangajal (Ganges water). The same hateful mentalities prevented Dalits from drinking water from the public ponds, and sitting on chairs. Today, even after 75 years, people with the same mentality want to take away the rights of Dalits and all the other reserved communities.”
Holding the BJP and the L-G reponsible for the postponement of the mayoral polls, the AAP leader said, “...once every 5 years, a Dalit son will sit on the mayor’s chair. But BJP, still clinging to their repugnant beliefs, has usurped that constitutional right. If this happens, then that chair will become unholy. The BJP’s L-G has stated that we cannot appoint the presiding officer without consulting the Chief Minister. A year back, when the Chief Minister had recommended the name of Mukesh Goel, as the presiding officer for the MCD mayoral poll. The L-G blatantly dismissed his suggestion and nominated L-G councillor Satya Sharma as the presiding officer. This proves my allegations.”
Responding to the allegations, Leader of Opposition in MCD Raja Iqbal Singh claimed it was the AAP that was anti-Dalit and anti-women. “The AAP did not want to hold elections for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor so that the ongoing differences in their party do not become public. If they wanted to conduct the mayoral polls, they should have completed the formalities in a constitutional manner before the announcement of general elections,” the BJP leader retorted.
BJP hits back
BJP leader and former mayor Raja Iqbal Singh questioned AAP leaders when they would have a new Chief Minister so that the election process for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor can be completed. He said the alliance of AAP and Congress is just a sham in view of the general elections. AAP and Congress want to come to power by any means, he hit back.