A political flashpoint erupted in Delhi on Thursday after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers of obstructing his visit to a bereaved family in Palam that lost nine members in a devastating fire. Kejriwal, who cut short his visit to Goa, went straight from the airport to meet the victims’ family but alleged that BJP karyakartas created chaos and prevented access.
Describing the incident, Kejriwal said, “I had gone to Palam to meet the victim’s family, but BJP karyakartas stopped us from meeting them, misbehaved with us and threw chairs. The government’s failure and negligence have taken nine lives. And on top of that, these people are doing goondagardi at the house of a grieving family? This is the height of inhumanity.”
The confrontation reportedly unfolded outside the residence of the grieving family, where AAP leaders claimed they were pushed and blocked amid sloganeering.
Kejriwal also raised serious concerns about the handling of the fire incident, alleging delays and equipment failure worsened the tragedy. “I demand that the entire incident be investigated, how the fire started and why the fire brigade machines were not functioning at the spot. Why did the fire occur? Along with this, we strongly condemn the hooligan behaviour adopted by BJP karyakartas here,” Arvind Kejriwal asserted.
He further said, “What kind of people (BJP leaders) are these? Humanity has completely vanished in them. The fire brigade vehicle reached late, and when it arrived, even its hydraulic lift did not work. People trapped in the fire kept pleading for help for hours and ultimately died in agony when no help came. If help had reached on time, many lives could have been saved.”
Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed BJP leaders attempted to escalate the situation. “At the time of the incident, the fire brigade ladders did not open, and everyone present here has seen this. Despite this, local BJP MLA Kuldeep Solanki is creating disputes and accusing us of lying. The entire Palam area is saying that the ladders of the fire brigade that reached the spot did not open. If those ladders had opened on time, those people’s lives could have been easily saved.”
He further alleged, “What exactly are BJP people mourning? When they cannot point out the shortcomings of their own department and cannot take action on it, what shortcomings will they highlight? This clearly means they are hiding everything. Despite the presence of the fire brigade ladder, it did not function properly and nine people were burnt alive.”
In another claim, he stated that the gathering had been a condolence meeting and alleged that the chair thrown at him had come from the goons of BJP MLA Kuldeep Solanki. He explained that although the chair did not hit him, it struck former MLA Vinay Mishra on the head, injuring him. He urged people to imagine the situation, pointing out that nine members of a family had died due to what he described as the negligence of the BJP government, and yet when Arvind Kejriwal was coming to the condolence meeting, this was the mentality being displayed by BJP. He further said that the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Lieutenant Governor should take cognisance of the matter.
Former MLA Vinay Mishra described the incident by saying that he had been sitting with the victim’s family in Palam since morning, where nine members of their family had died in the fire on Wednesday. He explained that BJP members had attacked him because Arvind Kejriwal was about to arrive to offer condolences.
According to him, around 40 to 50 bouncer-like men close to the local MLA had started throwing chairs and disturbing the atmosphere. They were questioning how Arvind Kejriwal could come first if CM Rekha Gupta had not yet arrived. Mishra remarked that this showed the extent of their shamelessness. He added that due to the government’s incompetence, a family had lost nine members, and at the very least, they should be allowed to receive condolences in peace. He warned them not to commit such sins that even the earth might split apart.
Senior AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Atishi, also criticised the alleged disruption. Atishi said, “When I reached Palam with Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday to meet the victim’s family, what I saw was extremely shameful for humanity. On one hand, government negligence took nine lives; their fire brigade lift did not work, and people kept pleading for help for hours. On the other hand, the inhuman face of BJP karyakartas, they are not allowing anyone to meet the grieving family, misbehaving there and throwing chairs. goondagardi even in such a moment of grief? Where has their humanity gone? The people of Delhi are watching this goondagardi and their monstrous face,” Atishi said.
Bharadwaj further alleged a larger conspiracy, stating, “BJP leaders wanted to attack Arvind Kejriwal; we have video evidence.”
