Week after controversial speech, Sadhvi holds rallies in Delhi

A week after her hate speech that triggered widespread outrage, Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on Monday addressed two rallies in the capital including one at Trilokpuri of East Delhi which had witnessed communal clashes last month.

In her addresses, Jyoti confined herself to attacking the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party and asked the people to support the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming assembly elections to ensure all-round development in the city.

In her first rally after the controversy, Sadhvi slammed the Congress and even took a dig at its vice-president Rahul Gandhi. "Spending night at a jhuggi cannot make one realize the poverty, what poor people have to face everyday." Interestingly, she sang 'bhajans' at the end of her speeches in both the meetings.

Jyoti's hate speech at an election rally in Dwarka on Monday last had evoked sharp reactions with the opposition parties stalling proceedings in Parliament seeking her ouster.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had strongly disapproved of her controversial comments. The police made a tight-security arrangement in Trilokpuri as the area had witnessed communal violence recently.

Targetting the Congress, Jyoti said those who could not give the ‘details of 60 years, are now seeking account of the last six months of our government’.

Attacking the AAP, she said, "Before forming government, they sought suggestion of the masses on the government formation, but why they didn't adopt the same way when they were to resign from the government."

The minister said Delhiites are facing the burden of a fresh election within an year because the AAP ‘ran away’ from their responsibilities.

The Union Minister of State for Food Processing also addressed a rally in New Ashok Nagar. "I want to appeal to the people that they should accept the upcoming elections as a challenge. The central government introduced public welfare schemes, including Jandhan, which they (Congress) could not do in the 60 years.

"Narendra Modi is working for poor people and people have to choose who is better. Since BJP has come to power, inflation has decreased," Sadhvi said.

The minister said since Modi has become the prime minister of the country, world has started respecting India. “The world has started respecting India since Modiji has become the prime minister. They (other countries) see us respectfully," she said.

In Trilokpuri, the Union mnister promised all-round development if the BJP came to power.

"When I was coming here, I was shocked to see what facility the people here is being given. I think the facility which is being provided to New Delhi should be extended here as well. You know well who (Congress and the AAp) is responsible," she said.

"In the last assembly elections, we got fractured mandate and we could not serve the people better. Now, there is another chance before you," she said.