AAP, BJP in war of words over setting up of Chhath ghat in south Delhi – ThePrint – PTIFeed

New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) A war of words raged on between the ruling AAP in the national capital and the opposition BJP on Sunday over arrangements for the celebration of Chhath in a south Delhi park.

Both sides have been accusing one another of obstructing the arrangements for the popular Purvanchali festival.

The issue assumes significance as the Purvanchalis — Bhojpuri-speaking people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand — settled in Delhi are an influential vote bank, accounting for 30 to 40 per cent of the around 1.5 crore votes in the national capital. Assembly polls in Delhi are due in February next year.

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AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, a Purvanchali himself, said that the BJP was insulting “Chhath Maiya” by obstructing the arrangements in the Chirag Delhi park.

AAP MLA from Greater Kailash and Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at New Delhi BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on the issue.

Bharadwaj alleged that the Delhi government granted all permissions for Chhath and allocated funds, but people were being denied access to the ghats by the BJP.

Challenging Swaraj, the AAP leader said, “Let her swear on the Bhagavad Gita that Chhath has not been celebrated here for eight years; we will end the protest and go home.” The minister on Saturday sat on a dharna, alleging that the BJP-controlled DDA was stopping Purvanchali people from setting up the Chhath ghat.

A Delhi Development Authority (DDA) official said that an area of 6,000 square metres had been already allowed for Chhath festivities.

The BJP alleged that Bharadwaj and his men were obstructing arrangements at the Satpula DDA park near Chirag Delhi Village. The arrangements could be started again only after Swaraj intervened, a Delhi BJP statement claimed.

Hitting back at Bharadwaj, Swaraj called him a “symbol of political deceit and hypocrisy”.

“His primary agenda is to spread lies and confusion, engage in negative politics and misuse his position for self-promotion,” she charged. PTI VIT IJT

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