Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj on Friday strongly criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party after an FIR was registered against him and two other AAP leaders, Sanjeev Jha and Adil Ahmed Khan, over a Christmas-themed political video. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by advocate Khusboo George, who alleged that the video hurt the religious sentiments of Christians by portraying Santa Claus in a derogatory manner. The controversy has added a new dimension to the political sparring between the AAP and the BJP in the national capital.
Addressing the media, Bhardwaj defended the party’s actions and said the video was part of a creative effort to highlight the worsening air pollution situation in Delhi. He argued that the intent was never to insult any religious community but to draw attention to the health crisis faced by residents. “We tried to show the reality of Delhi through different creative formats. The Santa Claus skit was one of them,” Bhardwaj said. He added that while a BJP worker who is a Christian claimed to be hurt by the video, there was silence when Christian women were allegedly threatened in public spaces. According to him, the outrage was selective and politically motivated.
Bhardwaj further alleged that the FIR was an attempt to silence the AAP and stop it from exposing the failures of the BJP-led administration. He said the party would not be intimidated by such actions and would continue to raise issues affecting the public. He also confirmed that he, along with the other two leaders named in the FIR, would be filing a legal response to challenge the complaint.
The controversial video, which triggered the FIR, showed two individuals dressed as Santa Claus wearing anti-pollution masks and collapsing on the road, symbolising the impact of Delhi’s toxic air. In the clip, AAP leaders, including Bhardwaj, were seen trying to revive the “collapsed” Santas by performing mock CPR. The video was posted on social media platforms on December 17 and 18 and was meant to criticise the government’s handling of pollution. However, the imagery sparked backlash, with complainants claiming it demeaned a religious figure.
Delhi Police registered the FIR after advocate Khusboo George alleged that the skit insulted Christian sentiments. Bhardwaj had shared the video with the caption “Santa Claus fainted in Delhi,” which was cited as part of the complaint. The police are currently examining the matter, while the AAP has maintained that the skit was political satire and not a religious attack.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party announced that it would file a separate legal complaint in connection with another incident in Lajpat Nagar, where members of the Bajrang Dal allegedly confronted and threatened a group of Christian women wearing Santa hats. According to the party, the women were told to leave the area and were asked not to celebrate Christmas in public. AAP leaders said the incident reflected growing intolerance and selective policing.
Reacting to that episode, the party criticised the Delhi Police for failing to take swift action against those who allegedly harassed the women. AAP leaders accused the authorities of targeting political opponents while ignoring incidents of intimidation against minorities. They reiterated that freedom of expression and religious practice must be protected and warned that such incidents could create fear among communities if not addressed firmly.
The controversy has further intensified the political climate in Delhi, with both sides trading allegations over religious sensitivity, law enforcement, and political intent. While the BJP has defended the filing of the FIR, the AAP continues to project it as an attempt to suppress dissent and divert attention from governance issues such as pollution and public safety.
