BJP accuses Arvind Kejriwal of exploiting children for political gains

Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that the Delhi government ignored concerns raised by the National Human Rights Commission

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal of involving children in political campaigns, calling it “petty, cheap, and dirty politics”.

 

During a press conference on Tuesday, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that the Delhi government ignored concerns raised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over a post showing children chanting pro-Kejriwal slogans. He said this act violates the Juvenile Justice Act and Election Commission guidelines.

 

Bhatia criticised Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, alleging they were using children to further their political interests. “Kejriwal knows he is losing the elections in Delhi, which is why he is targeting young and impressionable minds,” Bhatia said.

 

BJP targets Delhi’s education system

The BJP leader also accused the AAP government of failing Delhi’s education system, alleging that school toilets were being converted into classrooms and students were deliberately failed in Class 9 and 11 to inflate Class 10 and 12 pass rates. He alleged that AAP had promised to open 500 new schools but delivered none and left nearly 80 per cent of teaching positions vacant.

 

Bhatia mocked the AAP’s ‘Happiness Utsav’ initiative, saying the public would teach the party a lesson in the upcoming elections.

BJP’s criticism of honorarium to priests 

The BJP also attacked Kejriwal’s Rs 18,000 monthly honorarium promise for priests, calling it another “false promise”. Bhatia pointed out that imams, who were promised similar payments, had not been paid for 17 months.

 

In response to Congress’ criticism that the BJP disrespected former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bhatia countered by accusing Congress of insulting former PM P V Narasimha Rao, denying him a proper cremation in the national capital.

 

The BJP vowed to remove what it called the “destroyer of children” from power, signaling its intensified campaign against the AAP ahead of the Delhi elections.

NHRC’s notice for featuring children in a campaign

On Monday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the social media site X to delete the posts posted by Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who had used children for political campaign activities. NHRC stated that such activities go against the rules and regulations formulated by the Election Commission of India.

 

In a letter, NHRC Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo highlighted that the commission had taken up the issue under Section 12(a) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. The letter underlined that "the participation of children in political campaign activities raises serious concerns, as it violates the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India."