Delhi CM Atishi accuses BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri of perpetrating "hooliganism" against AAP workers

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of creating an atmosphere of "terror" in the Kalkaji assembly constituency, levelling serious allegations of "hooliganism" and use of "profanity" against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers by Ramesh and his associates.
Launching a scathing attack on BJP candidate Bidhuri and demanding action from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on the matter, Atishi said that he and his workers were indulging in hooliganism.
"Ramesh Bidhuri and his workers are not contesting elections, they are doing hooliganism. We demand from the Election Commission that action should be taken in this matter," Atishi said in a press conference.
She said that people claiming to be nephews of Bidhuri were threatening AAP workers while grabbing their collars and "burning" the campaign materials including pamphlets.
"Ever since Rakesh Bidhuri is contesting elections from Kalkaji, BJP has created an atmosphere of terror in the Kalkaji Vidhan Sabha region. In every area, BJP workers, and some people who claim to be the 'bhatijas (nephews)' of Ramesh Bidhuri, are threatening AAP workers, grabbing their collars. They are snatching and burning the campaign materials," Atishi said.
Meanwhile, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal also joined the news conference and said that the events described by Atishi were not limited to one assembly constituency. "What Atishi said is not limited to just one assembly constituency. BJP has resorted to hooliganism," he said.
"Any party or candidate resorts to violence only when they see that it is impossible to win peacefully. BJP is heading towards a historic defeat in Delhi. It will be written in history that a party will lose so badly," Kejriwal added.
Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Police, Kejriwal said that police were now campaigning for the BJP while helping "goons" indulging in hooliganism. "Amit Shah has now taken charge and the entire Delhi Police is now campaigning for BJP. They help BJP goons in committing hooliganism. Money, goods, and sarees are being distributed and the police were helping in this," he added.
Furthermore, the Delhi CM narrated various incidents alleging hooliganism from the side of BJP workers, saying that AAP ward president Arun Chauhan from Giri Nagar was abused by BJP's Rajeev Bhati, who claims to be a nephew of Bidhuri.
"On January 15, in the Giri Nagar area, AAP ward president Arun Chauhan and our women wing team were campaigning door-to-door. BJP's Rajeev Bhati, who claims to be a nephew of Bidhuri, abused our party workers, snatching away the pamphlets they had," Atishi added.
She further alleged that a young man Ankit Gupta, who was campaigning for AAP, was slapped by BJP workers on January 19. Meanwhile, Atishi said that AAP's Deepa Singh from Govindpuri received a call from Bidhuri, who told her to rejoin the BJP or else she would be arrested after the election results.
"On January 19, one of our workers Deepa Singh who lives in Govindpuri got a call from Ramesh Bidhuri at 11:40 PM and he told her to come back to BJP or else he will get you arrested after (February) 8th. On the same day, one of our worker's relatives Ankit Gupta was slapped by the BJP workers," Atishi added.
The Delhi CM further accused the BJP workers of issuing threats, saying that another nephew of Bidhuri said that he would break the hands and legs of AAP workers if they didn't remain in their homes.
"On January 20, when one of our women workers objected to BJP's team tasking children with putting up posters, they used profanity against her. On January 21, Ramesh Bidhuri's nephew Manish threatened our workers to stay at home or else he would break their hands and legs," Atishi told the media.
This comes as the assembly elections in Delhi nears its commencement date and the chaos between AAP and BJP keeps intensifying over various issues. The national capital will go to the polls on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8.
A three-way contest is on the cards in Delhi between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat.
AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got eight seats.