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The latest confrontation between Delhi’s newly elected BJP government and the recently ousted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) revolves around the alleged removal of portraits of key historical figures including BR Ambedkar And Bhagat Singh from government offices. The controversy has ignited a heated debate, with both sides accusing each other of political maneuvering.
Atishi’s Allegations Against BJP
AAP MLA and former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accused the BJP government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, of removing portraits of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh from all Delhi government offices.
“The anti-Dalit mentality of the BJP is well-known. Today, proof of this mentality has come to light. Arvind Kejriwal had installed photos of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh in every office of the Delhi government,” Atishi stated in a press conference.
“Since the BJP came to power, they removed both photos from the Chief Minister’s office. This shows the BJP is an anti-Dalit, anti-Sikh party,” she alleged.
BJP’s Response: BR Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh Photos Still in Office
The BJP quickly countered Atishi’s claims, releasing a video that showed the portraits of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh still present in the Chief Minister’s office, though positioned differently than before. While Atishi had displayed an image where the two leaders’ photos were placed centrally behind her chair, a new photo of the office under Rekha Gupta showed Mahatma Gandhi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi occupying that space.
BJP spokesperson RP Singh dismissed AAP’s allegations, asserting that the placement of photos follows administrative protocol rather than personal preferences.
“There is a protocol, and it is the administration that decides the placement of pictures, not the Chief Minister. As per protocol, the photos of Babasaheb, Bhagat Singh, or Mahatma Gandhi will remain,” Singh said.
“Ask them [AAP] what pictures were there when they came to power. The photos of Mahatma Gandhi and the Prime Minister were there. People have already rejected AAP, and creating such baseless issues will not help them,” he added.
Chief Minister Gupta Defends BR Ambedkar And Bhagat Singh Photos Placement
Amid the controversy, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta responded to AAP’s accusations, stating that her government respects all national icons but follows proper protocols for displaying official portraits.
“Should the photo of the head of government not be put up? Should the photo of the President of the country not be put up? Should the photo of Father of the Nation Gandhi Ji not be put up?” Gupta asked in a statement to news agency ANI.
“Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb are respectable personalities of the country and our guides. This office belongs to the Chief Minister of Delhi. As the head of the government, we have given them their due space. It is not my job to respond to such allegations—I am answerable to the people,” she added.
AAP and BJP Trade Barbs Over Historical Allegiances
The BJP also accused AAP of hypocrisy, questioning their past actions regarding official portraits. BJP MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely alleged that AAP was attempting to distract from an impending discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports in the Delhi Assembly.
“These people are just scared of the CAG reports. That is why they are creating chaos. They don’t have any issue, but they can’t escape the discussion on these reports,” Lovely stated.
He also questioned AAP’s decisions upon assuming power a decade ago. “Today, they are talking about Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. Whose photos did they remove when they first came to power? Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar are revered, and so is Mahatma Gandhi. Why did they remove Mahatma Gandhi’s photo then?” he asked.
With inputs from agencies.
Also Read: LoP Atishi Slams CM Rekha Gupta For Broken Promise On Mahila Samman Yojana
