On all the effigies carried the slogan 'BJP Ke Koode Ka Ravan (Ravan made of BJP's garbage)'.
To protest against the BJP's ‘failure’ in keeping the capital clean, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday burnt effigies of Ravan at about 3,500 locations. AAP's MCD poll in charge Dugesh Pathak informed that none of the effigies burnt by party leaders and workers were made of garbage.
The party changed its plan to burn Ravana's effigies made of garbage in view of the ban on their open burning in the capital. "We got the feedback yesterday itself. That's why smaller effigies were used for a symbolic protest so that they do not cause air pollution," a source in the party said. On all the effigies, the slogan 'BJP Ke Koode Ka Ravan (Ravan made of BJP's garbage)' was written.
The BJP used to rule all three erstwhile municipal corporations till they were unified under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in May.
In a statement, the AAP said party leaders and workers held protests against the maladministration of the BJP and burnt the symbolic effigies at 3,500 places on Dussehra eve.
An immediate reaction from the MCD or the BJP to AAP's charge was not available. "People across Delhi came together to burn Ravana's symbolic effigy. This was a symbolic protest against the issue of garbage mismanagement in Delhi by BJP-ruled MCD," Pathak said.
AAP MLA Atishi said the participation of the people in the party's protest indicated they want Delhi to be free from "the garbage and the BJP rule in the MCD".
AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha said the protest was a wake-up call for the BJP. "BJP-ruled MCD has turned Delhi into a city of garbage during its 15-year reign," he charged.
Elections to reconstitute a new civic body are yet to be announced by the BJP-led Central government.
With an eye on the MCD polls, the AAP launched a month-long campaign recently to corner the BJP on various civic issues, primarily cleanliness.