The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday (August 31) levelled accusations against Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for what they deem "a disrespectful act of installing 'Shivling'-shaped fountains" across the capital, just prior to the G20 summit.
Sanjay Singh, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson, expressed his concerns on social media platform X, demanding an apology from the BJP and urging appropriate action against Saxena.
"Shivling was insulted under Modi ji's leadership, and shameless BJP members are praising Modi. By disrespecting Shivling, the LG of Delhi is stealing accolades. BJP should apologise to the country and take action against LG," Singh said in a Hindi tweet.
As Delhi prepares to host the G20 summit from September 9 to 10, the city's key thoroughfares have undergone a transformation.
As part of a broader effort to enhance the city's aesthetics, according to a PTI report, officials have revealed the installation of 18 fountains resembling the 'Shivling' at the Hanuman Mandir junction in the technical zone of Palam airport.
AAP's chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar echoed similar sentiments. "@LtGovDelhi has played with the faith of crores of Hindus by getting Shivling-shaped fountains installed in Delhi," she said on X.
READ | Delhi's Beautification Ahead Of G20 Summit Leads To Ugly 'Credit' Fight Between AAP And BJP
The BJP and AAP have been at odds over funding for beautification projects in Delhi for the G20 Summit.
"I'm not going to say anything about it. I am on the ground, working, and I will work for Delhi; I have demonstrated that it is possible to change the face of a large portion of Delhi in two months. And we will continue our efforts even after the G20 to ensure that Delhi looks exactly like this," the Delhi LG was quoted as saying by news channel Mirror Now.
"See, the fountains have been installed all across the national capital", the LG said in response to the 'Shivling' fountain controversy. These are not 'Shivlings' in the least. It is up to you to decide which angle you want to examine. These are all artefacts that we have installed in the best way possible to beautify the national capital," he added.
Fountains shaped like 'Shivlings' installed in the national capital as part of the ongoing beautification of Delhi ahead of the G20 have sparked a political uproar, with BJP leaders accusing Delhi minister Atishi of disrespecting the 'shivling' by using it for decorative purposes.
Before the controversy over the shivling fountains erupted, the BJP chastised AAP ministers for taking credit for the Capital's G20 beautification. NDMC, ITPO, DDA, Indian Airforce, Delhi International Airport Limited, Delhi Police, and the external affairs and home ministries are all under the control of the central government, according to Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva.