Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia attacked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari for sharing a clipped video of his party colleague and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Mr Tiwari, in a post on X, shared a 9-second clip in which Mr Kejriwal was heard saying that “someone was saying that whoever has written the Constitution must be drunk while writing it”. His post came amid a massive row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar – known as the architect of the Indian Constitution.
“I found this video of the head of Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party. After listening to which everyone will be able to see his true colours,” Mr Tiwari, a three-time MP from North East Delhi, wrote.
Mr Sisodia, who has filed a defamation case against Mr Tiwari in the past, countered him and shared the full video of Mr Kejriwal’s speech.
In the 19-second video, which was reportedly shot 12 years ago, Mr Kejriwal was heard talking about the Constitution of the Congress party and not about the Indian Constitution.
“Constitution of Congress party says no worker shall consume liquor. Someone amongst us said the one who wrote the Constitution must have been drunk while writing it,” he said.
Mr Sisodia asked Mr Tiwari to stop behaving like “cheap trolls”.
“You are an MP, have some shame. You are tweeting lies. If not yourself, at least respect the post of an MP,” the former Delhi deputy chief minister said.
Mr Tiwari responded to the AAP leader, saying there should be “decorum” in a debate. “You got so angry that you called me shameless”.
“If the members of Congress wrote the Constitution of the party after drinking alcohol, then how can Arvind Kejriwal interpret it to mean that “whoever wrote the Constitution, wrote it after drinking alcohol”. What is the meaning of “whoever wrote the Constitution”?,” Mr Tiwari added.
“How can Arvind Kejriwal dare to say this? Is there a difference between the Constitution of India and Congress’ Constitution or not,” he asked.
The war of words between the two leaders broke out days after a controversy erupted over Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar during the recently concluded Winter Session of parliament.
In his address to the Rajya Sabha during the debate to mark 75 years of the Constitution last week, Mr Shah said taking BR Ambedkar’s name had become a “fashion” now.
“It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar’. If they took God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven,” the senior BJP leader said.
“Take his name 100 times more, but I want to say what are your sentiments about him,” he said.
The AAP, Congress and other Opposition parties have alleged that Mr Shah had insulted the Dalit icon and demanded his resignation and an apology.
Mr Shah, however, said the Opposition leaders had twisted his remarks.
