AAP Alleges ‘Ambedkar-PM Modi Photo Swap’ in CMO, BJP Calls It a ‘Lie’

An eventful first day of the new Delhi Assembly on Monday saw bitter exchanges, both inside and outside the House, between the ruling BJP and the Opposition AAP.

The dispute centered around allegations of an ‘Ambedkar-PM Modi photo swap’ in Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s office.

Allegations of Disrespect Towards Iconic Leaders

Former Chief Ministers and AAP leaders, Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi, accused the BJP of disrespecting B.R. Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh by removing their portraits from the Chief Minister’s office in the legislature. They alleged that the BJP had swapped their portraits with a photograph of Prime Minister Modi.

In response, the ruling BJP hit back, accusing AAP of spreading falsehoods. They claimed the allegations were an attempt by AAP to compensate for the rejection by Dalit and Sikh voters in the recent Assembly elections. The BJP also demanded an apology from Atishi for issuing false statements about the removal of portraits.

Atishi Raises the Issue in the House

Atishi first raised the issue in the House before addressing the media after the adjournment of the proceedings. Arvind Kejriwal also joined the controversy by posting a message on a social media platform.

Also Read: Atishi Becomes Delhi Assembly’s First Woman Leader of Opposition

Kejriwal tweeted, “The new BJP government of Delhi removed Baba Saheb’s photo and put up the photo of Prime Minister Modi. This is not right. This has hurt millions of followers of Baba Saheb. I have a request to the BJP. You can put the photo of the Prime Minister but do not remove the photo of Baba Sahib. Let his photo remain there.”

BJP Denies the Allegations

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva criticized AAP for spreading falsehoods after their defeat in the elections. He stated that AAP lost in constituencies with significant Sikh and Dalit populations, leading to frustration, which, according to him, resulted in the spread of false claims by Atishi.

Sachdeva clarified that portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, the President of India, and the Prime Minister of India continue to be displayed in the offices of the Chief Minister and all ministers in Delhi. He shared pictures of the CMO to demonstrate this, condemning AAP leaders’ behavior as disgraceful.

The Ruckus in the House

The controversy began when AAP leaders, led by Atishi, visited Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s office on the Assembly premises during a break. Upon resumption of proceedings, Atishi raised the issue, alleging disrespect for Dalit icon Ambedkar and the freedom fighters. This led to a ruckus in the House, with BJP members protesting against the allegations.

As a result, the new Speaker, Vijender Gupta, adjourned the House. He also condemned Atishi’s action of raising an issue without the chair’s permission.

The Upcoming CAG Report

The controversy was followed by discussions about the controversial CAG report on the AAP government’s scrapped excise policy, which is expected to be tabled in the House after Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena’s address on Tuesday.

Political Landscape of Delhi Assembly

The BJP, now occupying the treasury benches after 27 years, has 48 MLAs in the Assembly, while the AAP holds 22 legislators.