Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed party workers and supporters in Gujarat's Vadodara today
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday chanted "Jai Shri Ram" at an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) event in Gujarat's Vadodara, a day after the oath row at a Buddhism event in Delhi.
Targeting the BJP, Mr Kejriwal, AAP's National Convenor, said: "They are saying bad things about me. I don't care. But they hate me and are so blind in their hatred that they are even insulting the Gods."
Earlier, AAP workers removed anti-AAP posters ahead of Mr Kejriwal's rally. The workers brought down all anti-AAP posters and banners put up on the party chief's route to the rally venue. Protesting alleged "anti-Hindu" statements by AAP's Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, supporters of the ruling BJP in Gujarat's Vadodara tore AAP banners ahead of today's rally.
At the 'Tiranga Rally' that began nearly three hours after the scheduled 4pm start on a rainy day, Mr Kejriwal took to Hindu mythological references to allege that the BJP "insults Gods". He raised slogans of "Jai Sri Ram" and "Jai Sri Krishna" while calling himself a steadfast devotee.
Delhi minister Mr Gautam found himself in the middle of a controversy yesterday after a video went viral, showing him attending a religious conversion event where Hindu deities were allegedly denounced. At the event, hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism and not consider Hindu deities as Gods.
Following the incident, the BJP launched an attack on Mr Kejriwal, asking him to sack Mr Gautam.
Countering the BJP's charges, Mr Kejriwal said: "Main Hanuman ka bhakt hun. Aur ye Kansa ki aulaad hain (I'm a disciple of Hanuman, while they are the descendants of Kansa.)
He added: "I was born on the day of Janmashtami. God has sent me with a special motive: Go destroy Kansa ki aulaad and the ones doing corruption."
Addressing the party rally, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said: "Public in Gujarat is saying we're done with the BJP. I am telling them that they [BJP] are not afraid of us [AAP], but of you. He added: "Kamal ka phool nahi ugega ab, kyunki Kamal ka phool kichad me ugta hai aur humaare paas jhadu hai," (This time, the lotus, which is the BJP's electoral symbol, won't bloom in Gujarat because lotus blooms in the slush, while we have the broom - the AAP symbol).
Taking a dig at the Congress party in Gujarat, the Punjab Chief Minister added: "Congress is in coma."
Mr Kejriwal and Mr Mann are currently on a two-day visit to Gujarat, where assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year.