BJP, AAP clash over Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar’s legacy

Delhi’s political landscape has grown increasingly contentious over the legacies of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of disrespecting these national icons by removing their pictures from the Chief Minister’s office when the BJP came to power. In turn, the BJP has responded by claiming AAP is exploiting the names of Bhagat Singh and Dr Ambedkar to divert attention from ongoing corruption charges against the party.

Amid this escalating political debate, BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay, representing the Malviya Nagar Assembly constituency, visited Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park. He took the opportunity to criticise the state of a damaged statue of Bhagat Singh, claiming it had been broken for the past three years. Despite AAP’s Somnath Bharti representing the area for ten years, the statue had not been repaired, Upadhyay argued. “If AAP truly cared about Bhagat Singh, this park would be in a much better condition,” he remarked.

Upadhyay instructed the relevant authorities to repair the statue immediately, asserting while others may engage in political rhetoric, the BJP is committed to taking practical steps.