New Delhi: The war of words between Arun Jaitley and Arvind Kejriwal is expected to intensify with the Union Finance Minister on Thursday hitting out at the Delhi Chief Minister for using 'vulgar' language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kejriwal had called the PM a 'coward' and a 'psychopath'.
In his blog, Jaitley asked that if any functionary of the Government of India were to use such language, it would witness a nationwide outrage.
The Union Finance Minister further said that the functionaries of the Delhi government and its supporters have lowered the level of political discourse.
Jaitley hit out at the Congress too, saying the success of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi seems to have misled the party that vulgarity brings votes.
Notably, Kejriwal has publicly been making allegations against Jaitley with regard to the DDCA affairs.
Read a part of Arun Jaitley's blog here:
“Is vulgarity the new norm of Indian politics? I hope not.
Some months ago a few Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party made statements which were not appreciated even by the Party. The Party President cautioned them and advised them to refrain from making such statements. The result of the caution are visible.
What about the statements made by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi about the Prime Minister and others, both inside and outside Delhi Assembly? If any functionary of the Government of India were to use such language, it would witness a nationwide outrage. People in positions are expected to act with restraint. They cannot be outlandish.Vulgarity is not a right available to them. The political discourse cannot be couched in vulgar language. Falsehood delivered with vulgar overtones is not a substitute of truth. Lumpenisation of public discourse can never be high point of politics. Functionaries of the Delhi Government and its supporters have lowered the level of political discourse. They rely heavily on general falsehood without ever stating the specifics. The Aam Aadmi Party’s success in Delhi seems to have misled the Congress Party that vulgarity brings votes. Indian public opinion has a sense of fairness. It is time that public opinion expresses its outrage against the lowering of the level of public discourse.”
