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Arvind Kejriwal Washes Dishes At Golden Temple As 'Apology'

His party had used the AAP symbol, a broom, along with an image of the holy Sikh shrine.
AMRITSAR, INDIA - JULY 17: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal waving towards party workers after reaching airport on July 17, 2016 in Amritsar, India.
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
AMRITSAR, INDIA - JULY 17: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal waving towards party workers after reaching airport on July 17, 2016 in Amritsar, India.

AMRITSAR -- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today washed dishes in the Golden Temple's community kitchen as an apology after his Aam Aadmi Party drew flak for depicting the image of the Sikh shrine with the party symbol—broom—in its 'youth manifesto'.

Kejriwal, who had arrived in the city last night for his act of penance, scrubbed utensils in the community kitchen for 45 minutes and later went to sanctum sanctorum to pay obeisance. He sat for half an hour on the marble floor outside the sanctum sanctorum to listen to religious hymns.

"I had come here for 'sewa' (voluntary religious service) to apologize if we had knowingly or unknowingly committed any mistake in our youth manifesto. I listened to the 'shabad kirtan' here that gave me immense pleasure. Now I feel peace of mind," he told reporters.

AAP spokesperson Ashish Khetan, who was booked under Section 295-A (for hurting religious sentiments) by the Amritsar police, was also with Kejriwal.

File photo of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, MP Bhagwant Mann, AAP leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur paying obeisance at Golden Temple, on February 28, 2016 in Amritsar, India.
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
File photo of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, MP Bhagwant Mann, AAP leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur paying obeisance at Golden Temple, on February 28, 2016 in Amritsar, India.

AAP, which has been aggressively campaigning for Punjab Assembly polls due next year, courted controversy after the release of its youth manifesto in which the front page displayed the picture of party symbol broom along with that of Golden Temple that irked various Sikh religious and political outfits which demanded apology from Kejriwal.

Khaitan also faced trouble for comparing the party manifesto with the holy book of Sikhs - Guru Granth Sahib - and other religious books including Gita.

"I had come here for 'sewa' (voluntary religious service) to apologize if we had knowingly or unknowingly committed any mistake in our youth manifesto."

The AAP chief had earlier hit out at the ruling SAD-BJP combine, claiming they were feeling "jittery" due to impending success of AAP in Punjab and had hatched a conspiracy to defame the party.

Kejriwal was accompanied by AAP Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, youth leader Harjot Bains, MPs Bhagwant Mann and Sadhu Singh, singer Gurpreet Ghuggi, Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh, MP Bhagwant Mann, actor Gul Panag and advocate HS Phoolka.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.