A war of words has erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) on Friday , though it wasn't over public infrastructure, education, health services, or cost of living in the national Capital; it was over the Punjab Police withdrawing additional security cover for AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal.
Addressing a press conference, the former Delhi chief minister dubbed the withdrawal as ‘pure politics’ and said, "I regret that personal security has been politicised." Meanwhile, former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Anurag Thakur hit back at Kejriwal, saying enjoying a security cover of two police forces, without holding any official position, amounts to "misuse of power".
"Kejriwal once claimed that he would not take any security cover. Now, even without holding the position of Delhi chief minister, he enjoys Z-plus security from not one but two states -- Delhi and Punjab. More than 60 personnel are deployed for him. This is a clear misuse of power and resources," Thakur said.
The AAP chief said it was "pure politics" that was behind the move to "withdraw his security cover" provided by the Punjab Police. “There should not be any politics at least over personal safety and security,” he added. The AAP has alleged that stones were thrown at Kejriwal's vehicle by "goons" associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the New Delhi and Hari Nagar constituencies.
The chief ministers of AAP-ruled Delhi and Punjab have written to the Election Commission (EC) for restoring Kejriwal's security cover provided by the Punjab Police.
"We have written to the EC demanding that Kejriwal's security be restored. We do not trust the Delhi Police as it is under Amit Shah's control," Atishi said.
The AAP leaders alleged that resorting to "dirty politics" ahead of the Delhi polls, the BJP has conspired to get Kejriwal's security removed.