New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Amid the controversy over the burning of a cockroach effigy at a Ramlila event in Delhi on Tuesday, the Congress and BJP leaders on Wednesday alleged that the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was acting as a proxy for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
They claimed that the controversy had only brought publicity to the CJP and alleged that the organisation was functioning as the youth wing of the AAP.
The remarks came after AAP Delhi President, Saurabh Bharadwaj, on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the Lieutenant Governor and the Delhi Police Commissioner against the organisers of a Ramlila event in Pitampura, alleging that the burning of a cockroach effigy had hurt religious sentiments.
In his complaint, Bharadwaj sought the registration of an FIR against the organisers of the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee, Delhi minister and committee member Kapil Mishra, who was also the chief guest at the event, and other organisers.
Speaking to IANS, Congress leader Udit Raj alleged that the controversy had benefited the CJP by giving it publicity.
“They are benefiting from this. CJP is a proxy for the Aam Aadmi Party. This has only given CJP publicity. They may be saying one thing publicly, but privately, they must be happy,” he claimed.
Raj further claimed that several leaders associated with the organisation had emerged from the AAP.
“All these leaders have emerged from the Aam Aadmi Party. They were significantly involved in what happened at Jantar Mantar. However, the young people who participated were not affiliated with any political party. Ninety-five per cent of the people who were there were those who were suffering because of the SSC paper leak and the NEET paper leak. They were ordinary people,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson R.P. Singh alleged that the CJP was functioning as the youth wing of the AAP.
“It has become clear that CJP is, in some way, the youth wing of the Aam Aadmi Party. When the cockroach effigy was burnt, a figure that society sees as a divisive force in the country, I do not understand why Saurabh Bharadwaj has a problem with it,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the Ramlila event maintained that the effigy was intended to raise awareness about filth and the health problems associated with it.
In his complaint, Bharadwaj argued that burning the cockroach effigy alongside traditional effigies during the Ramlila event had hurt religious sentiments. The controversy has since triggered a political exchange between the parties.
–IANS
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