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NEW DELHI — In a new political strategy, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday demanded answers from the RSS for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's actions, in an apparent bid to diminish his stature by implying that the parent Hindutva organisation was the master which should keep its child in control.
"Has the son become so big now that it is showing attitude to his mother?" Kejriwal said at a rally where he demanded five answers from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.
The questions he asked were political softballs but the implication of bringing Bhagwat into his new political narrative is new and unusual.
Kejriwal wanted to know if the RSS agreed with the BJP's politics of using central agencies to break up parties and topple opposition governments, and inducting "corrupt" leaders into its fold.
In his first 'Janta ki Adalat' public meeting at Jantar Mantar following his resignation as Delhi chief minister, Kejriwal also asked Bhagwat if the BJP's rule on age of retirement would apply to Modi as it did for LK Advani.
Jantar Mantar पर @ArvindKejriwal जी के श्री Mohan Bhagwat से 5 सवाल | Full Speech LIVE https://t.co/ptTDJLTIgf
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) September 22, 2024
He questioned Bhagwat if he agreed with the BJP's politics of calling politicians "corrupt" and then inducting them into its fold.
In another question, the AAP supremo asked Bhagwat how he felt when BJP president JP Nadda said his party did not need the RSS, which is the saffron party's ideological mentor.
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He further questioned if the RSS chief was satisfied with the BJP's current politics.
"The RSS and the BJP had made the rule that every leader would retire when they reached 75 years of age. Under this rule, senior leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalraj Mishra and others were retired. Now, (Home Minister) Amit Shah says this rule does not apply to Modi ji," Kejriwal said.
"Do you agree with this fact that the rule that applied for Advani ji will not be applicable to Modi ji?" he asked Bhagwat.
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While Kejriwal was addressing the gathering, the BJP held a protest against him and AAP on issues of corruption at Connaught Place, barely a kilometre away from Jantar Mantar.
The saffron party held another protest against Kejriwal at Rajghat on the same issue.
Jantar Mantar, on the other hand, was awash with AAP's signature blue and yellow colours as hundreds of supporters filled the site with banners that declared Kejriwal as "one of us", affirming their unwavering belief in his innocence.
As Kejriwal took the stage, the site echoed with slogans of "Na rukega, na jhukega…" while some AAP supporters held up posters bearing messages such as "Hamare Kejriwal imaandar hai".
Kejriwal -- who was released on bail from Tihar jail on September 13 after over five months in prison in connection with the excise policy case -- asserted to the crowd that he joined politics to serve the country and not for any greed for power or post.
The former chief minister also said he resigned because he was hurt by the corruption allegations against him and added that he had only earned respect, not money, during the past 10 years.
He also asked the assembled crowd if they thought he was a "thief" or those who sent him to jail were "thieves".
Kejriwal said the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls were an "agni pariksha (trial by fire)" for him and urged people not to vote for him if they thought he was dishonest.
The AAP supremo added he would move out of the chief minister's official residence after the "shraddh" period during Navratri and go live among the people, who had been offering him accommodation.