AAP won't be part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The AAP Tuesday said that it would join the nation in cleanliness drive Oct 2, but would not be a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier, AAP chief had tweeted: "AAP will join Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on 2nd Oct. But condition of safai karamchari ought to be improved if we want a clean India."

However, AAP spokesperson Nagendar Sharma said that Kejriwal's quote cannot be disputed but that was not the official line of the party."

"We won't be the part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," he added.

Meanwhile, responding to Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu's call to participate in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal dismissed the drive as being merely "symbolic" and not enough to make the country clean.

In a Sep 23 letter addressed to Kejriwal, Naidu had appealed to the Aam Aadmi Party to "actively contribute in this Clean India drive and ensure people's participation in full."

In response to Naidu's call, the AAP chief said that while his party workers were already involved in cleanliness activities, "we cannot make India clean by such actions."

"It is being heard that on Oct 2, the Prime Minister will pick up the broom at Valmiki Sadan. It is good, though it is merely symbolic," Kejriwal said in his reply.

"Such a symbolic gesture may inspire people, but it is certainly not enough to make the country clean," the letter said.

The letter dated Sep 30 was made public, along with Naidu's communication, Tuesday