Sadhvi Jyoti's apology a sham: Minister basks in new found celebrity status

Was the apology from Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in Parliament for her ‘raamzade vs haraamzade’ remark fake? The answer is yes, if one goes by the unapologetic tone in her recent public speeches in Trilokpuri. The nastiness is still there but she has manged to make it less pungent by covering it with sarcasm. She is enjoying her new-found status as a controversial leader. The local unit of the BJP doesn’t mind it a bit. It would like to believe that the recent drama over her remark has only enhanced her popular appeal and she can now be treated as celebrity campaigner instead of just another party leader canvassing for votes. The party has managed to find its Yogi Adityanath in Delhi. The apology in Parliament, it appears, was intended to calm the opposition down and prevent the potential damage to the image of the government from the episode. The spirit of the prime minister’s appeal in Lok Sabha asking the members to forgive Niranjan in view of her “social and village background”, seems to have been lost on the party and the Sadhvi herself. [caption id=“attachment_1832749” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Congress said that Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti’s apology meant nothing. PTI[/caption] Though trying to play safe, the Sadhvi during her two back-to-back rallies in east Delhi’s Trilokpuri on Monday didn’t leave the opportunity to taunt those who protested against her by saying: “Kuch logon ko bura bahut jaldi lag jata hai (Few people take offence very quickly).” According to political observers, Niranjan Jyoti’s earlier remark laced with expletives was apparently aimed at the AAP, the toughest competitor for the BJP in the upcoming Delhi polls. And, pitching her again in poll rallies is a “well-thought out strategy” of the BJP. “It’s a well chalked out strategy of the BJP to field her in poll rallies, despite her making abusive statements and thereafter apologizing in the House. There’s a simmering tension continuing between two communities in Trilokpuri, and through her addresses, Niranjan Jyoti has further accentuated the divide and is trying to polarize the voters. Since, our sitting MLA Raju Dhingan is a strong candidate there, and in the last election both the Valmiki community and Muslims voted for us, efforts are on to weaken it through these ways,” AAP leader and spokesperson Ashish Khetan told Firstpost. He added, “Whatever she said at Trilokpuri and the way she had mocked at the media, clearly shows her apology was not genuine.” Trilokpuri had witnessed communal clashes in October, which had snowballed into a fierce political debate, with the BJP, the Congress and the AAP slamming one another. The violence in the area had forced many families in Trilokpuri to flee their homes to safety. The panic among the residents of the locality still continues. “There’s an underlying tension in this area after that communal violence. Iron gates have been put up in the locality as safety measure. But this type of rallies by any party will lead to a communal flare up. Our political leaders must ensure extreme caution in communally tensed areas, while addressing the mob. There are skirmishes in the locality due to anti-social elements, which has nothing to do with religion. In general, both Hindus and Muslims are living as neighbours since long,” said Javed, a resident of Trilokpuri. After Sadhvi’s incident, the central leadership of the BJP instructed its leaders to go soft and careful in public, and no party leader or MP, who could pose damage to party’s image, should be fielded in poll rallies. But, despite the public embarrassment that led to a logjam in Parliament, what made the party allow Jyoti to hold rallies again? “Firstly, her Trilokpuri rally was pre-decided. Moreover, she has already apologized before the House. Secondly, the party has fielded her in poll-rallies due to her oratory skills and, her reach and popularity amongst a particular section of the society. Positively, the party would like to gain from her strengths,” a state BJP leader reasoned requesting anonymity.