NEW DELHI: The BJP has accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of exploiting children for political purposes ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
The allegations stem from a video posted on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s official X handle, showing children raising slogans in support of the Delhi Chief Minister. The BJP has condemned this as “petty, cheap, and dirty” politics.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia criticised the Delhi government for not removing the controversial video, despite concerns raised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Bhatia claimed that the video violated both the Juvenile Justice Act and Election Commission guidelines.
“Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi are not even sparing children. They are undermining the dignity of children. Is this because Kejriwal knows he is losing the elections in Delhi?” Bhatia said, accusing Kejriwal of manipulating “young and impressionable minds” for political gain.
Bhatia went on to label Kejriwal as a “destroyer of children” and a “hater of children,” accusing the AAP government of converting school toilets into classrooms and inflating pass percentages by failing students in Classes 9 and 11 to improve results in Classes 10 and 12.
The BJP also targeted the Delhi government’s “Happiness Utsav” initiative, which celebrates the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ in schools, calling it a hollow exercise. Bhatia claimed voters would “teach the AAP a lesson” in the upcoming elections, citing the failure to build the promised 500 schools and the high vacancy rate in teaching positions, with nearly 80% of posts unfilled.
Bhatia further dismissed Kejriwal’s announcement of an Rs 18,000 monthly honorarium for temple and gurdwara priests as another “false promise” and predicted the end of Kejriwal’s political career. He also mocked the AAP for previously opening liquor shops near religious places and now using children for political purposes.
In response to media questions about Congress’ accusations that the BJP-led central government disrespected former PM Manmohan Singh, Bhatia pointed to the Congress’ treatment of former PM P. V. Narasimha Rao, alleging that Rao’s cremation was not allowed in the national capital.