The BJP scrambled to mount an offensive Wednesday against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his suggestion to the government that images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi be put on currency notes. Facing an aggressive AAP in Gujarat polls, BJP leaders admitted in private though that Kejriwal had hit a master stroke while on the back foot over certain remarks made by AAP leaders, which the BJP had attacked as “anti-Hindu”. The BJP's talking heads who took on AAP Wednesday included national spokesperson Sambit Patra, who listed “anti-Hindu” instances involving Kejriwal, and its Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, who called the AAP leader's suggestion an "unsuccessful attempt" to hide his party's "ugly anti-Hindu face" ahead of elections. BJP leader and former Bihar minister Shahnawaz Hussain accused Kejriwal of trying to “sideline Mahatma Gandhi”, while its IT cell head Amit Malaviya dubbed him “a Hindu bigot”. However, with the BJP past masters at the perception game, party leaders admitted that their words might mean little. A senior BJP leader said: “It's true that Kejriwal has caught the BJP off guard. AAP wants to prove that it is not any of the things that the BJP accuses it of – such as being Left-liberal, anti-Hindu or urban Naxalite.” Plus, as the leader said, with such measures, Kejriwal “is trying to pitch himself and AAP right against the BJP and its leadership”. Noting that Kejriwal's suggestions were “irresponsible”, another leader pointed out the dilemma the BJP was left in. “Kejriwal does not have the responsibility of a national party, he can make any such irresponsible appeal. But the BJP has to counter it so as to defend its image as the pro-Hindu party.” Among AAP's “anti-Hindu” actions, Patra listed the ban on firecrackers by the Delhi government, AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam taking an oath denouncing Hindu gods and goddesses at a conversion event, and former AAP leader Tahir Hussain's alleged involvement in the Delhi riots. Patra said while Gautam had stepped down as minister following the row, this was an “eyewash” as he remains in AAP. Patra added: “The blessings of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are already on India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to his hardwork and commitment. That is why India has risen to become the fifth largest economy in the world from 11th in the last decade.” Manoj Tiwari also spoke about Gautam, as well as AAP Gujarat chief Gopal Italia whose old video has surfaced urging women to stay away from religious events as these were meant to subdue them. "All such leaders are still in the party," Tiwari said, adding that Kejriwal, after protecting them, “is now trying to save his face in view of the elections". "Without even a letter from you, we developed the Mahakal corridor (in Ujjain) and started Ram temple construction," the BJP MP said. Hussain asked if Kejriwal's demand regarding currency notes was actually an attempt to replace Mahatma Gandhi's image. “Kejriwal is the only chief minister who has got the photos of Mahatma Gandhi removed from government offices. Now people of Gujarat will understand his game,” Hussain said. AAP has earlier too successfully blunted BJP attacks by changing the narrative. A probe against several of its leaders by investigative agencies, countering its image of an anti-corruption force, had been painted by AAP as a move against its successful education policy, forcing the BJP to counter it on this front. BJP sources admitted that Kejriwal has proved a fast adapter, be it nationalism or Hindutva, changing his ideological garb as he pitches for a national role. This comes combined with AAP's governance model plus open advocacy of populist / welfare measures, at a time when the BJP led by Modi is attacking the “revdi culture”. However, BJP leaders said, Kejriwal is unlikely to make any gains in Gujarat and Himachal with such measures. “It's a party that has nothing to lose in the coming elections. Anything would be a gain for AAP. But what Kejriwal is trying to do is to take the lead in setting the discourse,” said a source.
