NEW DELHI (TIP): The war of words between BJP and AAP escalated on March 27 with the saffron party accusing Arvind Kejriwal of being an expert in “dumping issues halfway” while AAP retaliated with jeers that a “scared” BJP was diverting people’s attention from real issues.

A day after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi called Kejriwal a Pakistani agent and charged AAP with misrepresenting Kashmir on the map, AAP’s social media unit tweeted a grab of BJP’s official website that hosted a Google map indicating Kashmir as “disputed territory”. Dubbing AAP as “Arvind Apna Propaganda”, BJP accused Kejriwal of “dumping issues halfway” and running away from answering questions. “Kejriwal is known for dumping things halfway.

His IRS (Indian Revenue Service) was dumped halfway. His India Against Corruption (IAC) was dumped halfway. Anna Hazare was dumped halfway. People of Delhi were dumped halfway. Now his candidates from all over the country are also dumped halfway,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said. “Kejriwal said there are only two constituencies from AAP perspective — Varanasi and Amethi. So what happened to other candidates who are contesting all over the country? He has distanced himself from the rest of the candidates,” she said. “You have given away Jammu and Kashmir in your website.

You have dumped people of J&K. Besides dumping of issues, he also ran away from answering our questions,” she added. Accusing Kejriwal and his party colleague Prashant Bhushan of going against the official line on Kashmir, BJP also screened video footage at the party briefing, simultaneously showing Modi’s speech in Jammu on Wednesday where he referred to Kejriwal as AK-49 and Bhushan’s earlier speeches. Responding to the attack, AAP leader Manish Sisodia said, “A scared BJP is trying to divert attention from real issues ever since AAP exposed its lie on gas pricing yesterday and made public the letter in which Gujarat government sought a $16 hike. AAP categorically denies that it has shown Kashmir as disputed on its official website.

The party’s stand on the issue is clear. However, it is for BJP to clarify how Kashmir has been shown on its official website.” Earlier, AAP’s social media unit had tweeted a grab of the BJP website showing Kashmir as disputed on the map. BJP also raked up the controversy involving former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti and his alleged misbehaviour with some African women residing in the capital. Sitharaman asked for whom did Kejriwal sit on dharna. “He sat on dharna for a person who had misbehaved with women, who misused his official position forcing Delhi Police to conduct a raid at midnight,” she said.