A fresh political confrontation erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal directed a pointed “Aap kaun hain?” (“Who are you?”) remark at BJP national president Nitin Nabin. The exchange escalated quickly, with leaders from both sides trading barbs over the issue.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta hits back at Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta responded sharply to Kejriwal, accusing the former chief minister of acting out of “desperation” and claiming that his “ego is still riding high.” In a post on X, Gupta defended Nabin by outlining his political career, noting that he became the BJP’s youngest national president, has been elected four times from Bihar’s Bankipur Assembly constituency, and rose through the party ranks from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha to its top organisational post.
Parvesh Verma takes a swipe
Delhi minister Parvesh Verma also criticised Kejriwal, taking a swipe at his remark. “Being the national president is a very big responsibility, but do you even remember me?” Verma said in an apparent jibe at the former Delhi chief minister.
Origin of the controversy
The controversy began when Nabin, while addressing the BJP’s Shakti Kendra Sanyojak Sammelan in Lucknow, criticised opposition leaders over what he described as their silence whenever Hindu deities are insulted. He named Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Kejriwal, saying they should not assume that the Hindu faith is so weak that people would accept their statements without question.
Kejriwal’s response to Nabin’s criticism, including his “Aap kaun hain?” remark, subsequently triggered a sharp exchange between the BJP and the AAP, with leaders from both sides trading barbs over the issue.
