The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday launched a scathing attack on former union minister Sushma Swaraj’s daughter Bansuri Swaraj, who has been named by the BJP as it’s candidate from New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. AAP leader and Delhi minister Atishi demanded an apology from Bansuri Swaraj for her “wrongdoings”.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi said that Bansuri, who is also a practising lawyer, represented absconding former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner, Lalit Modi, who is accused of financial irregularities in the country.
“The BJP replaced (Union Minister) Meenakashi Lekhi (from New Delhi) with someone who is known to have argued in court for anti-nationals. Bansuri Swaraj, who is also a lawyer, fought in court for Lalit Modi, who is absconding and is alleged to have fled the country with crores. She represented Lalit Modi in this case, right from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Who defended Lalit Modi in the high court and Supreme Court and who did the latter thank in a social media post for fighting his case?”
Moreover, the AAP leader said, Bansuri Swaraj also represented the BJP-led Manipur government in the case involving two women, who were paraded naked during the ethnic violence last year.
“When (ethnic) violence erupted in Manipur and a video went viral showing two girls being paraded naked, she represented the BJP government in the Supreme Court. How will she seek votes from women in the New Delhi constituency? She (Bansuri) should first apologise to the people of the country for her wrongdoings,” the Delhi Minister said.
Atishi also launched an unsparing attack against the sitting BJP MPs from Delhi and asked why they didn’t speak up for the people of Delhi when a draft legislation was passed in Parliament last year outlining and reinforcing the discretionary powers of the Lieutenant Governor (L-G).
“What were the sitting BJP MPs doing when Delhi was stripped of its rights? None of their lawmakers, including (cricketer-turned-politician) Gautam Gambhir (who quit politics after being dropped from the BJP’s list of candidates) did anything for the people they represent over the last 5 years. They were happy sitting on the Centre’s lap, leaving the people of their constituencies to fend for themselves,” she said.
Earlier on Saturday, the BJP named candidates for 195 Lok Sabha seats across 16 states and Union Territories (UTs).
It announced candidates for 5 of the 7 Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, dropping four sitting MPs including Meenakashi Lekhi from New Delhi constituency.