Chhath ban: AAP, BJP indulge in war of words

New Delhi: Even as the war of words between the BJP and AAP over public Chhath celebrations in the Capital escalated with MP Manoj Tiwari accusing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of "hardline Muslim appeasement", Environment Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said the BJP was trying to play politics over the issue.

Rai went on to say that given the pandemic, the Delhi government must wait for the Centre (BJP-ruled) to issue guidelines on the same before allowing the celebrations and the fact that it has not done so yet purportedly showed the BJP's intent. "BJP knows it is going to be kicked out of MCD, so it is trying to polish its politics on the pretext of Chhath Puja," Rai alleged.

"We want Puja to be

done according to the guidelines. We are expecting a different opinion now from the Centre regarding the spread of infection through water."

Meanwhile, Tiwari, in his letter to the CM, said, "As a

chief minister adopting such an anti-Hindu attitude does not behove [sic] you. The dignity of the post (CM) is being maligned because of you."