Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal meeting the mother of Dalit student Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide at Hyderabad Central University, in Hyderabad on Thursday. (Press Trust of India photo)
Accusing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of indulging in "event management politics", BJP today criticised him for his visit to Hyderabad after suicide by a Dalit scholar there, saying the AAP leader has time to fly long distance, but "no concern" for people in the national capital.
"People are dying of cold in Delhi, but our chief minister has no concern for the poor and homeless. He has time to go long distance and shed crocodile's tears in Hyderabad and indulge in Dalit vote bank politics," Delhi BJP general secretary Ashish Sood alleged.
Addressing a press conference, the Leader of House in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, accused Mr Kejriwal of using Hyderabad Central University student Rohith Vemula's death to do politics.
"We condemn this event management politics of Kejriwal and his selective offering of sympathy. Flying to Hyderabad to commiserate with the agitating students of the university there at a time when people are dying of cold in his own backyard, is a vulture-like attitude, and we condemn that too," Mr Sood said.
The BJP leader's remarks come in the wake of several bodies being found in and around the national capital of people suspected to have died of cold in the last few days.
Bodies of homeless persons were found at Connaught Place, CR Park, Civil Lines and Kashmere Gate.
Family members of Dalit doctor Dinesh Kumar Singh, who claim that he died last year of swine flu, were also present at the press conference.
Mr Dinesh's father Bhup Singh reiterated the family's request to the AAP government of "acknowledging my son's death as due to swine flu and give compensation accordingly."
Mr Sood alleged, "Kejriwal has time for Dalit people in Hyderabad, but what about people in his own city. Why has this family been neglected by him? Why has he not ever visited them after the death. This is just selective sympathy for vote politics."
"Our aim is not to defame any government, we just want help from Delhi government, that's why we are here, we do not want to give political mileage to any party, we just need platforms to voice our concern," Mr Bhup Singh said.
Mr Dinesh, a senior doctor at Chacha Nehru Hospital in Geeta Colony, had died at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on March 3 last year.
The directorate of health services has denied that the doctor die of swine flu.