BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri has sparked controversy again with derogatory remarks about Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, his opponent in the Kalkaji Assembly seat.
Speaking before filing his nomination on January 15, Bidhuri mocked Atishi, saying she was running around in the streets like a “hirni” (doe) ahead of the polls after neglecting the constituency for years.
He also criticised the AAP government for issues like water shortages and poor road conditions in the area, claiming, “People are living in hell for four years. For four months before the polls, Atishi has been running around in the streets like a doe roams around in the jungle.”
Earlier too he had attacked Atishi for “changing” her surname from Marlena to Singh. However, according to Atishi’s affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India, she has retained the surname as ‘Marlena’.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swiftly condemned Bidhuri’s remarks, accusing the BJP of being “anti-women” and using “disgraceful comments” against women.
AAP spokespersons questioned the kind of language Bidhuri would use for ordinary women if he ever became Delhi’s Chief Minister. “If Ramesh Bidhuri can use such derogatory language for a woman chief minister, what kind of language will he use for the daughters and sisters of Delhi?” the party said in a statement.
In his recent speech, he claimed that Delhi had faced a water crisis for the past decade due to a lack of water treatment plants under AAP’s rule and criticised the condition of roads in areas like Govindpuri. He also accused Atishi of clinging to every woman she encountered on the streets, likening it to a “sister separated at Kumbh Mela.”
AAP responded sharply, accusing the BJP of a pattern of insults, not only against women but also targeting Atishi’s family. The party warned of serious consequences for such language, adding that if Bidhuri were to become chief minister, it would set a dangerous precedent for how women would be treated in the city.
Bidhuri, known for making controversial remarks, had earlier faced backlash for comments about Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, after which he expressed regret. Bidhuri had said he will make roads of Kalkaji as smooth as Gandhi’s cheeks if elected as an MLA. He is pitted against AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.
Bidhuri, who has previously served as a Member of Parliament and is a three-time MLA from Tughlakabad, remarks prompted a rebuke from his party, which advised him to focus on the campaign rather than making personal attacks on women leaders.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had dubbed Bidhuri’s controversial reference to her cheeks as “ridiculous”, and said important issues should be discussed during upcoming polls instead of such irrelevant matters.