Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor on Thursday, 16 July accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of displaying an 'anti-women' attitude after the party suspended three women Councillors, including minority community councillor Sultana Abad. The BJP charged that the suspensions expose a pattern of silencing women who question AAP's leadership.

The Suspension and Its Trigger

According to Kapoor, the three Councillors were suspended after they raised questions over the alleged paralysis of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) during the period 2022 to 2025, when AAP held power in the civic body. Abad reportedly alleged that Kejriwal and AAP Delhi convenor Saurabh Bhardwaj prioritised development of their own wards over broader civic responsibilities. The BJP argues that dissent within AAP is being met with punitive action rather than dialogue.

A Pattern of Exits, BJP Claims

The Delhi BJP spokesperson pointed to what he described as a recurring trend. On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was, according to Kapoor, forced out of AAP after raising questions against the party leadership. Earlier, prominent figures including Kiran Bedi, Shazia Ilmi, and Richa Pandey had similarly left the party, reportedly after asserting independent views. Critics argue these departures reflect an intolerance of internal dissent, particularly from women — a charge AAP has not yet publicly addressed.

BJP's Women's Empowerment Counter-Narrative

Kapoor framed the BJP's criticism within a broader political context, stating that his party remains committed to women's empowerment while AAP's actions undermine it. This comes at a time when women's political representation in urban local bodies has been a contested issue across Indian states. The BJP's attack is also seen as an attempt to consolidate support among women voters in Delhi ahead of future civic and assembly contests.

Rath Yatra Participation and BJP's Cultural Outreach

Separately, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP Member of Parliament Bansuri Swaraj participated in the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath organised by Shri Jagannath Temple at Thyagraj Nagar in New Delhi. Rajnath Singh offered prayers to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, and described the Rath Yatra as 'a symbol of India's eternal cultural heritage, social harmony, and the spirit of public welfare.' Bansuri Swaraj called the event 'a grand celebration of Indian culture, spiritual consciousness, and social harmony,' adding that such occasions reinforce values of service and national unity.

With the MCD governance record now squarely in the political spotlight, the suspensions are likely to fuel further friction between AAP and its internal critics in the weeks ahead.