New Delhi : The Congress and the BJP on Friday dismissed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s apology for carrying on with his anti-land bill rally despite a farmer’s suicide at the venue, and said it wasn’t “enough”.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said: “An apology isn’t enough. Can’t make the farmer a spectacle, showpiece of your office… can’t dramatize a suicide scene.”
He said a suicide in a rally has never happened before. “Now the chief minister is apologizing, but it is not enough.”
BJP MP from Delhi Meenakshi Lekhi said: “Rhetoric should be finished and those who are opposing the land bill should tell which amendment is anti-farmer.”
“This is a planned strategy, no point of any explanation, will the farmer suffer because of your deeds,” she asked.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said: ” An apology from the side of Delhi chief minister is not enough, he did not do what he should have done…”
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati told the media outside parliament: “Just want to say to Kejriwal that by apologizing, the farmer (Gajendra) will not come back.”
Earlier Kejriwal told ANI that he agreed that he should not have continued with his speech at the rally after the incident.
“I was to deliver an hour long speech but I wrapped it up in 10-15 minutes. I think that was my mistake. Probably I should not have spoken. If that has hurt anyone’s sentiments, I would like to apologize,” Kejriwal said.
“I am guilty. Blame me. I feel the rally should have been called off. But please focus on the real issue of the farmers and desist from politicking. Whoever is guilty, hang him, but the focus of the debate should be on why the farmers are committing suicide,” he said.