New Delhi: The alleged “abusive words” used by BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla against Rituraj Jha, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA representing the Purvanchal community, has upset party leaders as well as NDA ally Janata Dal (United).
While politics over Purvanchali voters continues to play out in poll-bound Delhi, with the AAP government terming it as an “attack” on the people hailing from the Purvanchal region, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally has also asked the BJP to take cognizance of the matter. The term “Purvanchal” is used to refer to people from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand who constitute a significant votebank in Delhi.
The JD(U) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership to take “appropriate action” against Poonawalla so that it sends across a “stern message to everyone”.
Not only this, Delhi BJP leaders are also concerned that such comments made against the community would hurt the party’s electoral prospects in Delhi where voting is due on 5 February.
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JD(U) leader and spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad told ThePrint that Poonawalla’s comments have “hurt the sentiments of the Purvanchali community”.
“Politicians should be extremely sensitive while speaking on issues related to caste, religion, community, or region. Poonawalla has definitely made a mistake and his statement has really hurt and angered the people of Purvanchal. We have taken up the issue with the central leadership of the BJP asking them to take appropriate action against Poonawalla,” he said.
A political row erupted Tuesday, after the video clip of the news channel debate went viral on social media in which Poonawalla purportedly abuses Jha. Soon after this, Poonawalla, in a post on ‘X’, alleged that the AAP was in fact spreading “lies” against him and he will start a fast unto death against it.
Purvanchalis constitute one third of over 1.5 crore voters in Delhi according to an estimate influencing results on at least 20-30 assembly constituencies. Some of the Delhi assembly constituencies that are dominated by migrants from UP and Bihar, include Burari, Adarsh Nagar, Wazirpur, Badarpur and Seelampur. In Delhi, the BJP has one MLA, Abhay Verma from Laxmi Nagar, who represents the Purvanchali community while the AAP has around 12 MLAs who represent the community.
Both the ruling AAP and the rival BJP in Delhi have made efforts to win over the community and had announced a slew of measures ahead of Chhath which was held last year.
“We have hardly given tickets to Purvanchal candidates. Four-five such leaders have been given tickets this time. Look at the AAP, which has given representation to the community through ministers such as Gopal Rai and MLAs such as Sanjeev Jha, Rituraj Jha, Dilip Pandey, Durgesh Pathak, among others. They have developed key leaders hailing from UP and Bihar, which is why the Purvanchali voter has shifted towards them and if we ignore such statements it will further affect us,” a second BJP leader told ThePrint.
Earlier, BJP’s Purvanchali face Manoj Tiwari had condemned the statement of Poonawalla, asking him to apologise for his comments. In a video message posted on social media platform ‘X’, Tiwari said a person should think 50 times before using such “indecent words” against anyone by referring to their caste, state or community.
Tiwari said it has become a ‘fashion’ to abuse and use ‘indecent’ words against Purvanchali people while at the same time he appreciated Purvanchalis residing in Delhi for carving out a place for themselves through their hard work. “I strictly condemn the words used by Poonawalla. He should apologise without any further comments on the issue. Whoever may provoke you but we expect a BJP spokesperson to remain well-mannered, composed and cultured,” the North-East Delhi MP said, hoping that the party would take cognizance of the matter.
The issue had taken centre stage after AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed in a press conference that Rituraj Jha was “abused” on a national news channel by Poonawalla on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Singh claimed that Jha was abused by Poonawalla. “Jha, who is a Maithil Brahmin, was abused on a national news channel on Tuesday by the BJP spokesperson. I want to ask BJP MP Manoj Tiwari that a Maithil Brahmin MLA has been abused…Where are you? Why are you not saying anything?” Singh alleged at a press conference.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra, a Purvanchali himself, was also asked about Poonawalla’s comments. “Our MP, Manoj Tiwari, has already responded, and in Manoj’s response itself lies our answer,” he told reporters.
In a video message he posted on X Friday, Poonawalla apologised to “Poorvanchali brothers and sisters”.
Main sabhi poorvanchali bhai behenon se pure dil se maafi maangta hoon ki mere shabdon se unhe dukh hua peeda hui.
Isme koi justification nahi dena chahta hoon.
UP Bihar ke sabhi log mere bahut sammanit hai aur main phir se maafi mangta hoon 🙏 pic.twitter.com/etyrUMijdN
— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) January 17, 2025
This is an updated version of the report
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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