Former Delhi Congress MLA Jai Kishan's remark sparks row

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 21

Sparking yet another controversy, former Delhi Congress MLA Jai Kishan today asked a public gathering to cut tongues and set on fire the candidates of the BJP and AAP who come to seek votes.

He was speaking at a rally for the party candidate from Ward Number 16, Sonia, in the Sector 25 colony. In what seemed like inciting the public, he said, “…leaders of the BJP and AAP have no right to ask for your votes. If they come to seek votes, cut their tongued and set them on fire…”

While trying to align voting with Dalits, Jai Kishan further told the gathering, “…I am a Valmiki and have won five times. The two governments (of the BJP and AAP), which crushed the farmers, do not think Dalits have any ‘aukat’…”

“Had the Congress and Baba Saheb not been there, then your son would not have become IPS officers and our sisters cabinet ministers. Remember, they did not allow us to ride a ‘ghodi’. So, we have to bring back the Congress to power.”

Jai Kishan had courted controversies in Delhi in 2015 when he was arrested for allegedly beating up a group of students and a teacher inside a private school for attending a reality show in Hyderabad without his permission.

“This is highly condemnable. There must be decency in election campaigns. There should not be personal and below-the-dignity comments,” said AAP convener Prem Garg.