New Delhi: The AAP on Saturday intensified its attack on BJP over the induction of Kiran Bedi into the party, saying it was done to save Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s face in case of a defeat of the saffron party which was a “sinking ship”.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said the former IPS officer was inducted into the BJP as none of its earlier tactics worked in Delhi. “The BJP had started rallies in Delhi by its 300 MPs where nobody came…then they brought their ministers, nobody turned up there, too. And then the PM itself addressed a rally which was a flop show. “Now they have brought Kiran Bedi. The BJP is a sinking ship. Will she be able to save it?”
Kejriwal said in a rally in Adarsh Nagar constituency. The party said that Bedi was inducted in the BJP to save Modi’s face in the event of a defeat.
“Kiran Bedi will act as a cushion between Modi and Kejriwal because BJP was projecting the two leaders to be in a direct fight in the upcoming elections. The BJP wants to shield Modi and save him from embarrassment in the event of party’s defeat,” AAP leader Yogendra Yadav told a news conference.
AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh, who were also present at the news conference, accused the BJP of making a ‘U-turn’ on the statehood issue.
“The BJP in its manifestos of Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections had promised reduction of electricity tariff by 30 per cent and granting statehood to Delhi,” Ashutosh said.
Bedi, a former team Anna member, had yesterday said full statehood for Delhi was not the “central” issue even as she stressed on the need for ensuring women’s security and cleanliness in the national capital.
AAP also asked Bedi to come clean on issues such as bringing political parties under the ambit of the RTI, which she was in favour of previously. 65-year-old Bedi joined the BJP on Friday, praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, the AAP also accused the BJP-led Centre of undermining the institutional autonomy of various bodies in the wake of the controversy over of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Censor Board members resigning en masse.
The party alleged the government has been meddling with authority of institutions such as AIIMs, IITs and DU in the recent past. “The censor board should be allowed to work independently. This government is increasingly being known for its meddling in IITS, AIIMS, DU and now the Censor Board. Somewhere the question arises whether this institution should function with an agenda,” AAP leader Manish Sisodia told reporters.
Nine members, apart from CBFC chairperson Leela Samson, put in their papers protesting alleged government interference. (PTI)
