'Why no Dalit as AAP CM?' JD(U) shreds Arvind Kejriwal's letter to Nitish Kumar on Ambedkar row

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal with Delhi CM Atishi and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. (File Photo: PTI)

The Janata Dal (United) on Friday came down hard on Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal over the latter's letter to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar seeking his response on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks involving BR Ambedkar and advised him to "deeply reflect" o the issue.

In a strongly-worded letter addressed to Kejriwal, JD(U) chief Sanjay Kumar Jha accused Kejriwal of neglecting Dalits and reneging on his promises while highlighting how the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar had worked for the upliftment of Dalits and OBCs by following Ambedkar's footsteps.

"I read your letter to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar. I can understand your real pain. Your pain is that on that day in the House, the Hon'ble Home Minister Amit Shah was exposing the leader of your alliance, his party and his family.... The misbehavior of the Congress party and its leaders with Baba Saheb is unforgivable," he wrote.

@ArvindKejriwal ,
@NitishKumar @AmitShah , ... pic.twitter.com/cp8JNzr5Lz Sanjay Kumar Jha (@SanjayJhaBihar) December 20, 2024

Jha further pointed out that Kejriwal chose to appoint a loyalist to the post of Chief Minister despite the presence of a large OBC population in Punjab. He also accused Kejriwal of back-tracking from his promise of appointing a Dalit deputy CM.

He also questioned Kejriwal on why he did not name a leader from the Dalit or OBC community as the Delhi Chief Minister after he relinquished his post following his release from Tihar jail in the excise policy-linked money laundering scam.

"When Nitish Kumar left the post of Chief Minister, he made a Dalit the Chief Minister of Bihar. He (Arvind Kejriwal) did not look at his track record. When Kejriwal left the CM post, whom did he make the CM or why did he not make a Dalit CM in Punjab?" Jha asked.

"I urge you to leave your prejudices and think positively about the progress of the country. The constitution of this country is very strong," Jha further wrote.

In his letter addressed to NDA leaders Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday, Kejriwal asked both leaders to reflect on Shah's remarks in Parliament.

My Letter to Shri N Chandra Babu Naidu ji. pic.twitter.com/87pKYTfdDY Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 19, 2024

“The statement made by Shah in Parliament regarding Babasaheb has left the entire nation stunned. His remark that ‘chanting Ambedkar-Ambedkar has become a fashion these days’ is not only disrespectful but also reveals the BJP’s perspective towards Babasaheb and our Constitution," Kejriwal wrote.

Senior JD(U) leader and Union minister Lalan Singh also came out in Shah's defence and slammed Kejriwal over his letter questioning Nitish Kumar. "A corrupt person has no right to offer advice to Nitish Kumar who was a Union minister and is now chief minister for so many years and still can not be accused of any misconduct," Singh said.