Hitting below the belt: BJP goes mum after issuing 'dead Anna' ad targeting Kejriwal

After releasing a controversial advertisement which besides delivering below-the-belt punches on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, portrays Anna Hazare as a dead man, the BJP has gone silent on the matter. While in private, some party leaders accept that it is in poor taste no one wants to comment on it in public.

The advertisement carries a sketch in which Arvind Kejriwal has been shown swearing on two children and joining hands with political opponent Congress. The caption of the poster reads in Hindi, “Satta ke liye bachchon ki jhuti qasam tak khaunga…aur raat din imandari ka danka bhi bajaunga (I will even take false swear on children for coming to power…and will also beat the trumpet of honesty day and night).” It also shows anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare as dead, with his portrait hanging in the background with a garland on it.

The party has also posted the objectionable poster on its Twitter account.

The AAP was quick to launch a counter attack on the BJP and seek a public apology from the party for showing a living man dead in the ad. “Nathuram Godse killed Gandhiji on this day in 1948. BJP has killed Anna in its ad today. Shudn’t BJP apologise?” Kejriwal tweeted.

When Firstpost contacted the leaders of BJP for comments the central leaders passed the buck on the state leadership saying they were “unaware” of the controversy.

“I am completely unaware about the advertisement. I have not seen today’s newspapers and therefore, I won’t be able make any comment on the controversy. It would be better if you talk to the state unit of the party,” BJP National Executive member GVL Narasimha Rao told Firstpost. Almost the same reply came from another senior leader Nalin S Kohli.

The Delhi unit of the BJP preferred to keep mum. Party’s spokespersons Ashwini Upadhyay and Harish Khurana avoided several calls made by this reporter, saying they were “busy in meetings”.

Though another spokesperson Punam Azad defended the party saying the advertisement was aimed at “exposing Kejriwal’s hypocrisy” and not “disrespecting anyone”, she evaded the question on showing Hazare’s sketch with a garland.

A senior leader of the party, who did not wish to be named, said, “I also got upset when I saw the advertisement. It shows that our party has touched a new low. The party needs to understand that such silly acts are creating waves in favour of the AAP and its chief Kejriwal.”

Meanwhile, people took to micro blogging website Twitter to condemn the act and express their anguish.

Interestingly, the BJP had earlier lodged complaints with the Election Commission against the AAP for using Kiran Bedi’s photographs on its posters pasted behind several auto rickshaws in the national capital. The posters feature Kejriwal as “honest” and Bedi as “opportunist”.