New Delhi: BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri on Tuesday alleged that Delhi chief minister Atishi was “shedding crocodile tears” a day after Atishi got emotional and broke down during a presser over his recent remarks on her father. Bidhuri said people of Delhi want to get rid of ‘AAP-da’ as soon as possible. He added that AAP is used to playing the victim card when they know they are being exposed. “The CM (Atishi) is shedding crocodile tears but she should say, does she support her father’s stand when he stood up in support of Afzal Guru?” he asked.
Bidhuri has been fielded by the BJP as its candidate against Atishi in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls. On Sunday, he had stirred a controversy when he said that Atishi had ‘changed her father’. “This Marlena (surname used earlier by Atishi) became Singh, changed name. Earlier she was Marlena, now she has become Singh,” he had said.
‘Abusing an old man to win elections’
On Monday, at a presser, Atishi turned emotional while responding to Bidhuri’s remarks and accused the BJP leader of “seeking votes by abusing” her father. She said: “I want to tell Ramesh Bidhuri, my father was a teacher throughout his life, he has taught thousands of children coming from the economically weaker section, now he is 80 years old…now he so unwell that he can’t even walk without support.” Expressing her ire, she questioned, “Will you (Ramesh Bidhuri) do such a cheap thing for the sake of election? He is abusing an old man to win an election. I never thought that this country’s politics could stoop so low.”
Other AAP leaders also hit out at Bidhuri. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal reacted sharply to the statement and said: “BJP leaders have crossed all limits of shamelessness. BJP leaders are abusing Delhi Chief Minister Atishi ji.” He added that the people of Delhi will not tolerate the insult of a woman Chief Minister. “All the women of Delhi will take revenge for this.”
This was the second time Bidhuri’s comments have been slammed since he was named the BJP’s candidate from Kalkaji. On Saturday, he sparked row by stating that he would develop roads in Kalkaji as smooth as “Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks” if he wins. After a massive outcry, Bidhuri expressed regret over his comments and retracted.
