“Virodh…, dharna pradarshan aur Hindu samaj ke liye ladayi aage aane wale samay mein bhi jaari rahegi… Samaj ke khilaf jahan kahin bhi galat hoga wahan Pradeep Tiwari khada milega janta ke saath,” says the 27-year-old municipal poll candidate from BJP, who was in March arrested for vandalism outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.
Tiwari was one of the eight Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers arrested for vandalising the gate and CCTV cameras outside Kejriwal’s Civil Lines house. The main gate at the CM’s house was painted red during the protest, led by BJYM leader Tejaswi Surya, following Kejriwal’s remark against Bollywood movie ‘Kashmir Files’.
The AAP slammed the BJP on its pick, saying it was now clear that “BJP produces gunda and felicitates them for hooliganism and vandalism”.
Tiwari, who has been fielded from Ramesh Nagar ward for the upcoming polls, said, “AAP is a party of liars and fascists known to spread lies. They are calling me ‘gunda’ because of the love people have been giving me. The protest was not vandalism; it was a political protest. My love and fight for the Hindu samaj will continue.”
“Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee believed in ‘Antyodaya’ and his aim was to reach out to the antim (last) person in the country. I am an antim vyakti coming from antim cluster. PM Modi ji also rose from a poor background. Similarly, I, a slum dweller, have been given a ticket,” he said.
Tiwari is the youngest candidate fielded by the BJP. Besides his popularity garnered after the BJYM protest, he is famous in the Chunna Bhatti slum where he lives. In Ramesh Nagar and Karol Bagh, he says, he is known for actively raising local issues like water, sewer, and basic amenities. On his journey from a resident of JJ cluster to his entry in politics, Tiwari said, “My father runs a small cycle rickshaw repair shop and our family of five lives in one room porta-cabin. I completed schooling at government schools and did my bachelor’s in Law. I joined RSS when I was 18-19 years old and the teaching helped me become a confident person, following which I developed an interest in politics.”
He added, “My key agenda is to work for the society and Hindu samaj. My priority will be permanent sewage line, regular water and ‘Jahan Jhuggi wahan Makan’.”
Tiwari also wants to start free coaching centres for underprivileged students preparing for SSC, civil services and other competitive exams.