AAP 'throttling' democracy in India: Arun Jaitley

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday attacked the AAP government in Delhi saying its action of "attacking" the three opposition members in Delhi Vidhan Sabha are aimed at "throttling" the voice of democracy.

He also asked BJP to strengthen its base in Delhi and occupy the political space as Congress has lost its vigour and people are disillusioned with AAP.

"They were not bothered about throttling the voice of democracy and freedom of expression...There cannot be a bigger attack on democracy and on one's independence than attacking the opposition in Vidhan Sabha in Delhi for airing their views in an article," he said referring to controversy around Vijender Gupta, one of the BJP MLAs in the Delhi Assembly.

Attacking the AAP dispensation while addressing the executive committee meeting of Delhi BJP, Jaitley said it is a government of "confrontations rather than constructive work" and added people who came out in favour of those who wanted to "break" India are today trying to "crush" opposition and democracy in Delhi.

"We may have lost election, but not our vigour. In Delhi, the ground is open as Congress has lost its vigour. It is losing its political space," he said, adding that there is disillusionment with AAP government too "as the politics of theatrics can be done only in limits".

Jaitley said the disillusionment against AAP government is rising and BJP should stand to gain from it and encash it. He also said that the "politics of theatrics" can be done only within limits.

"When questions are raised, then only to say that we fought so many battles but could not do work. All sections have started dissociating one after the other. And it is difficult to regain their support. Congress is not in a position to gain that and that is why that space is available to BJP in Delhi," he said.

He said Congress is out of reckoning and this offers a great opportunity for BJP to regain its political space, as people are disillusioned with the AAP government in Delhi.

"It is the right time to go to the people," Jaitley said asking party workers to take Narendra Modi government's schemes and achievements to people and expose the Delhi government for its "failures".