'Grave insult': Atishi's 'Bharat'-like gesture with CM chair for Kejriwal angers Congress, BJP

NEW DELHI: Delhi's new chief minister Atishi faced criticism from the BJP and Congress as she decided to leave Arvind Kejriwal's chair in the office empty in a symbolic gesture and sat on a second chair on the day she took over the office. The opposition hit out at Atishi describing the gesture as a "grave insult" to constitutional norms and the role of chief minister.
Atishi, who took office as Delhi's eighth chief minister, said she would serve a four-month term, likening her role to that of Bharat from the Ramayana, who ruled Ayodhya in Lord Ram's absence by placing his wooden slippers on the throne.
Atishi placed an empty chair beside her CM chair and said, "This chair belongs to Arvind Kejriwal. Today I took charge as the CM of Delhi. Today I have the same pain in my heart as Bharat ji had. Just like Bharat ji worked by keeping Lord Shri Ram's sandals, I will take charge as CM for the next four months."
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva condemned Atishi's action, asserting it disrespected the position of chief minister and the sentiments of Delhi residents.
"What she did was not ideal. Through her gesture, she has not only insulted the post of chief minister but also hurt the feelings of the people of Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal needs to answer whether he will run the government through a remote control," Sachdeva said.
Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav labeled Atishi as a "dummy" chief minister for keeping Kejriwal's chair vacant. Yadav expressed concern over the comparison of a figure recently jailed for corruption to Lord Ram, saying it undermined the dignity of the role.
"I have a strong objection to this that a person who was in jail for a corruption case is being compared to Lord Ram. Atishi has crossed all limits and presented herself as a dummy chief minister," Yadav said.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also criticised Atishi, claiming her empty chair gesture demonstrated that she is a "puppet chief minister" and an affront to the Constitution.
"What is the meaning of an empty chair when there is a chief minister in the office? This act shows that she is a puppet CM and it is a grave insult to the Constitution. I am sure that the people of Delhi will take cognisance of it," Tiwari said.
"How can someone compare a corrupt person who is out on bail to Lord Ram? Was Lord Ram accused of corruption? He was 'Maryada Purushottam' (the perfect man). These people (AAP) do not hesitate to degrade the Hindu gods. They continue to insult the Sanatan Dharma,” the BJP MP added.
Atishi took office on September 22, following Kejriwal's resignation, and expressed confidence in his potential return in the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for February. She highlighted that the BJP has actively sought to damage Kejriwal's reputation, referencing his six-month incarceration and a court's statement about the agency's motives in his arrest.
Atishi, 43, is the third woman to serve as chief minister of Delhi, following Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit.