Gandhigiri: Kejriwal answers BJP jeers with flowers

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was clearly not prepared for the extended Holi season in the temple town. He was inked, ‘egged’ and made very uncomfortable on his arrival here by the obvious suspects – BJP workers.

Kejriwal was heckled and followed by BJP workers right from the moment he reached the station at 8.10am. Later, at different points of his road show, he was shown black flags.

At some point, someone sprayed ink on the AAP leader. But restraint from the AAP workers and the presence of a large police contingent – comprising local cops, special police forces and anti-riot vehicles – prevented the situation from turning ugly.

Although Kejriwal and Sisodia wiped off the ink and the cavalcade moved ahead, AAP supporters retaliated with slogans like ‘Abhi to Sheila hari hai, ab Modi ki bari hai (After Delhi CM Sheila Dixit, it’s Modi’s turn to lose elections).”

All through the three-km-long road show, people greeted Kejriwal from their roof-tops. But just a few metres ahead of Chetganj police station, BJP workers once again waved black flags and jeered Kejriwal, who reacted by throwing flowers at them.

Most of the AAP members in the road show had come from the adjoining districts of Jaunpur and Machelisher. AAP leader Kumar Vishwas along with his supporters came from Amethi, where he is contesting against Congress’ Rahul Gandhi.

Kejriwal then went to Bhaisasur ghat to take a dip in the Ganga. He then reached the Kal Bhairav temple at Maidagin, with BJP workers following the cavalcade.

Finally, the cavalcade reached the Vishwanath temple, where main priest Srikant Mishra performed the Rudrabhishek ritual for Kejriwal for about an hour.

But as the AAP convener came out of the temple, some people from the mob waiting outside the temple hurled two eggs at him. One hit Kejriwal’s car and the other a bystander.