‘Illegals’ BJP’s poll issue in Delhi

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems riding the plank of 'illegal Bangladeshi migration' in the rundown to the February 7 Assembly elections in the national capital.

Gautam Debroy, for from Delhibdnews24.com
Published : 31 Jan 2015, 08:00 AM
Updated : 31 Jan 2015, 08:35 AM

The BJP has alleged that its principal challenger Aam Admi Party (AAP) is taking the help of anti-national forces from Bangladesh and Pakistan.

“Why is AAP taking the help of anti-national forces?” asked Union Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in a poll meeting.

She is also the national spokesperson of the BJP.

Commerce Minister Sitharaman trained guns on Kejriwal and this time pointed out that AAP’s website showed volunteers coming from Bangladesh and areas near Pakistan. " These are all illegal migrants and they threaten our national security," she said.

The BJP has decided to ask five questions to AAP during the poll campaign .

The BJP had even decided not to release any election manifesto for Delhi “but ask five questions to Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP till February 6.”

Sitaraman outlined the five questions for AAP

-- why has AAP not submitted its poll expenses to the Election Commission ?
-- why are AAP's female leaders like Shazia Ilmi leaving the party ?
--- why is AAP not respecting constitutional institutions like the Election Commission by brazenly violating poll norms ?
--- why did AAP not strengthen the Delhi Lokayukta after praising the BJP government's model in Uttarakhand ?
--- why is AAP using illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan ?

In the May 2014 general election in India , the BJP did ride the issue of illegal migration from Bangladesh and in some it paid rich dividends. In Assam, playing the 'infiltration from Bangladesh' issue helped BJP win 7 of the 14 seats in the state.

PM Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders say India will promote the best of relations with the present Awami League government in Dhaka and will try to fulfill all legitimate demands of Bangladesh , but add that they are committed to protect Indian national interests.

The recent Census data that indicated a much faster population growth amongst Indian Muslim population compared to the national average and that seems to have given the saffron brigade to raise the pitch on illegal migration.