BJP, Congress slam ‘Janta ki Adalat’ as ‘political drama’

Arvind Kejriwal’s second ‘Janta ki Adalat’ at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi faced significant backlash on Sunday, primarily due to a “lack of audience”. BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor described the event as a “flop show,” noting that it struggled to attract even a few hundred attendees by noon, forcing organisers to hastily call around 1,500 party cadres through MLAs.

“This is the second time Kejriwal has seen a ‘Janta Ki Adalat’ fail to garner public or party support,” Kapoor said. He said the previous event at Jantar Mantar on September 22 also failed to engage Delhiites. “Today, as Kejriwal spoke like a man pleading for his political survival, the stadium was almost empty, drawing no public sympathy,” he added.

Kapoor criticised Kejriwal for referring to government subsidies as “freebies”, implying that those benefiting from them are merely “muftkhor” (freeloaders). Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal echoed these sentiments, stating, “The so-called ‘Janata Adalat’ serves as a testament to the failures of the Kejriwal government over the past ten years. People surely shared their problems, but where is the development work?”

Khandelwal argued that Kejriwal’s initiative reflected his acknowledgment of the failures related to the governance. “This event is pure political drama,” he said, suggesting that it distracted people from pressing issues such as water, electricity and healthcare.

Devender Yadav, president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, also weighed in on the criticism. He called the event a “big flop show,” highlighting that it served as a reminder to Kejriwal that he could no longer deceive Delhi’s residents with empty promises. “Kejriwal has set a new benchmark for corruption and is no longer the party of the common people,” Yadav said, noting Kejriwal’s recent move to a posh bungalow on Ferozeshah Road.

Yadav challenged Kejriwal to explain the deteriorating conditions in Delhi, asking, “Why are the roads broken and potholed? Why is air pollution unchecked? Why do we face severe water shortages and receive contaminated water?” He highlighted the tragic loss of over 40 lives in monsoon-related incidents this year, questioning why the infrastructure remained neglected.

At the venue, several mohalla clinic doctors were also seen protesting, carrying posters demanding action for their issues. Their slogans included, “Mohalla clinic karamchariyon ki samasya suni jaye” and “Mohalla clinic — Rozgar diya aisa, berozgar jaisa.”