The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed Kejriwal on Tuesday accusing him of misquoting the Ramayan and "insulting" Lord Ram and Sita, with its Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva holding a fast as a mark of absolution. In response, Kejriwal said the BJP was protesting against him in the honour of demon king Ravana and accused the party leaders of having "demonic tendencies". The two parties are indulged in an intense war of words, a blame game over a range of issues with Delhi Assembly polls just around the corner.
Kejriwal found himself under fire from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after his remarks during an election rally in Vishwas Nagar, Delhi, on Monday, comparing the BJP to the “golden deer” in the Ramayana.
In a major gaffe while referencing Ramayana, Kejriwal said, "I want to warn the slum dwellers that these days they (people of BJP) are staying in slums, they do not love you, they love your vote and will sell all your land after the elections. Lord Ram was exiled for 14 years, so one day he went to the forest to arrange for food, left Mata Sita in the hut and told Laxman that you will protect Sita Maa. Meanwhile, Ravan came in the form of a golden deer. Sita said to Laxman that I want this deer... Laxman went and Ravan kidnapped Sita Maa. These BJP people are also like that golden deer, do not get involved in their trap."
Kejriwal’s remarks drew the ire of the BJP, who accused him of insulting Sanatan Dharma and misinterpreting the sacred text of Ramcharitmanas, labelling him a “Chunavi Hindu". Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, who started his fast after a visit to Prachin Hanuman temple, called Kejriwal a "Chunavi Hindu" and sought forgiveness for "disrespect" shown by him to Sita-Ram.
Sachdeva visited the Hanuman Temple at Connaught Place this morning to pay respects to Shri Ram Darbar, Lord Hanuman, and Saint Tulsidas. He sought forgiveness for the AAP chief for sharing a misrepresentation of the Ramayan, and hurting the sentiments of millions of Hindus. Sachdeva has also decided to observe a symbolic fast on Tuesday as an act of prayer while continuing with his regular activities. He started his fast after a visit to Prachin Hanuman temple, called Kejriwal a "Chunavi Hindu" and sought forgiveness for "disrespect" shown by him to Sita-Ram. "It is regrettable that Chunavi Hindus like Arvind Kejriwal mention deities in their election rallies but hurt Hindu sentiments by narrating inaccurate stories due to ignorance,” he said.
Kejriwal in an election meeting on Monday, quoted Ramayana saying Sita was abducted by Ravan who appeared as a golden deer, when Lord Ram went out in search of food. The BJP leaders objected to it, alleging Kejriwal misquoted the Ramayan story and pointed out that it was another character in the epic, 'Mama Marich" who distracted Lord Rama as a golden deer when Ravan abducted Sita.
"I said yesterday that Ravan took the form of a golden deer. The BJP leaders are sitting on dharna outside my house for why I insulted Ravan," he claimed. They have so much love for Ravan, they have "demonic tendencies", he charged and added, "I want to warn the slum dwellers and poor in Delhi that they will devour them if they come to power."
Sachdeva hit out at Kejriwal saying he was the same leader who previously quoting his grand mother tried to create an "anti-Ram Mandir" narrative and advocated hospitals and schools in place of the temple.
"The Hindu community will never forgive Kejriwal for hurting their sentiments," he said. Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia also attacked the BJP over the issue in a post on X, saying the party leaders were "defending" Ravan as if they were also "descendants" of the demon king. He alleged the BJP's politics stooped so low that its leaders were using symbols like Ravan to justify their false statements.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari launched a scathing attack on Kejriwal, calling him a “Chunavi Hindu" for misquoting Ramayana and said his true face had been exposed in front of the people of Delhi and the country. Bhandari remarked that appeasement runs in the veins of Kejriwal and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and that the AAP supremo was “irritated" with the slogan of ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’ and Lord Shri Ram’s temple in Ayodhya and wants to give lands of Delhi to Waqf.