New Delhi: BJP leader Parvesh Verma, who is contesting against Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi assembly seat, on Wednesday said he has filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against the AAP supremo and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over alleged remarks against him in connection with the Punjabis controversy that has become the latest flashpoint between the ruling and the saffron party ahead of Delhi elections.
Verma has claimed that the AAP is misusing Punjab state machinery and thousands of cars bearing the state registration numbers and government stickers are roaming in the national capital ahead of Republic Day, putting security at risk.
He further claimed that several AAP MLAs and workers from Punjab have arrived in Delhi in these cars and are distributing cash, alcohol, and CCTVs in the New Delhi constituency and that he lodged complaints with the police and the Election Commission in this connection.
#WATCH | #DelhiElections | BJP candidate from the New Delhi assembly constituency, Parvesh Verma says, “…I have filed a complaint to the Election Commission and also filed a written complaint to the Delhi Police, that in last one week, thousands of cars of Punjab are roaming… pic.twitter.com/uFRGzRnWs4
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2025
AAP hits out at BJP for ‘insulting Punjabis’
Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann led the AAP’s retaliation, accusing the BJP of insulting lakhs of Punjabis living in Delhi whose ancestors made countless sacrifices for the country as the party demanded an apology from Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Lakhs of Punjabi refugees also live in Delhi who left everything behind during the difficult times of partition and settled in Delhi. Their families have also suffered numerous hardships. By what BJP leaders are saying today, they are insulting his martyrdom and sacrifice. I felt very sad to hear this statement. Delhi is ruled by Punjabis. By calling Punjabis a threat to the country, BJP has insulted lakhs of Punjabis living in Delhi. BJP should apologize to the Punjabis,” Kejriwal said in a post X.
Mann too echoed similar sentiments, saying “They are marking vehicles with Punjab number plates and asking why are vehicles from Punjab roaming in Delhi? They are saying as if Punjabis are a threat to the security of the country. This is extremely insulting to me and every Punjabi in the country. Today every Punjabi is feeling extremely pained and insulted. It is not right to question the patriotism of Punjabis in this way for your dirty politics.”
दिल्ली में लाखों पंजाबी रहते हैं जिनके परिवारों ने और उनके पूर्वजों ने देश के लिए न जाने कितनी क़ुर्बानियाँ दी हैं।
दिल्ली में लाखों पंजाबी रेफ़्यूजी भी रहते हैं जो बँटवारे के मुश्किल दौर में सब कुछ छोड़कर दिल्ली आ कर बसे थे। इनके परिवार ने भी अनगिनत यातनाएँ सही हैं।
भाजपा के… https://t.co/87IXSekhDs— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 22, 2025
Bidhuri’s men threatening voters in Kalkaji
Ramping up further attack on the BJP, Chief Minister Atishi claimed that several men claiming to be nephews of her BJP rival Ramesh Bidhuri are threatening AAP volunteers in Delhi’s Kalkaji constituency from where the two leaders are contesting against each other in the upcoming polls.
Atishi said she has written to the Election Commission flagging the issue and sought deployment of security forces in her constituency – Kalkaji.
Elections on Delhi’s 70-member assembly will be held on February 5 and the counting of votes on February 8. The ruling AAP and the opposition BJP are locked in a heated exchange of accusations and a blame game over a range of issues.
