Atishi should condemn father’s backing of Afzal Guru: BJP amid Ramesh Bidhuri row

The Delhi BJP attempted damage control after its leader Ramesh Bidhuri’s controversial comment about Chief Minister Atishi Marlena caused a political storm.

Bidhuri, while addressing a campaign rally, accused Atishi of altering her identity for political gain, saying, “Atishi, who was Marlena, is now Singh. She has even changed her father.” The remark immediately drew criticism for its personal nature, with BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor stepping in to clarify the party’s stance.

Kapoor urged political leaders to steer clear of personal and family-related comments. However, he also pointed out that as a public figure, Atishi owed the people of Delhi an explanation regarding her father’s alleged support for a mercy petition for Afzal Guru, the convicted terrorist behind the 2001 Parliament attack.

“As individuals or elders, we all respect Atishi Marlena’s father,” Kapoor said. “But since Ms. Marlena is the Chief Minister, the people of Delhi expect her to publicly either condemn or justify her father’s support for Afzal Guru.”

The BJP’s clarification came after Bidhuri’s reignited an old controversy on Sunday, saying, “Atishi Marlena’s parents submitted a mercy petition against the death sentence of Afzal Guru, the terrorist responsible for the deaths of many of our brave soldiers. I want to ask the people of Delhi whether they want to support those who sought a pardon for Guru’s death sentence.”

The personal attack drew an emotional response from Atishi during a press briefing on Monday. Fighting back tears, she expressed shock and anguish over how “low” the BJP had sunk for political gain.

“My father has been a teacher throughout his life. He has taught thousands of children from poor and lower-middle-class families. Today, he is 80 years old and in fragile health-he cannot even walk without help,” she said.

She then directly addressed Bidhuri’s comments, calling them a betrayal of basic decency. “To stoop so low as to abuse an elderly man is beyond comprehension. I never thought politics in this country could descend to such depths,” Atishi said, visibly distressed.