Hours after police arrested eight people, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for vandalism during a protest led by the youth wing of the party. “If the person in power, the biggest party in the world, is involved in such hooliganism, what message are we sending to the youth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police said more arrests would be made in the next few days in connection with the vandalism outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Kejriwal on Wednesday.
“Kejriwal is not important. I can give my life for the country. The country will not move forward with such bullying. If the world’s largest party, the party in power, commits such acts of bullying, then what message are we sending to the youth? In this way, the country cannot improve, “Kejriwal said.
Several groups are still conducting operations.
Members of the BJP’s youth wing stormed the residence of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal during a protest on Wednesday against his remarks on the film ‘The Kashmir Files’, intensifying the war of words between the two parties.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia scoffed at the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging it was a “conspiracy to assassinate” Kejriwal because the saffron party failed to defeat the Aam Aadmi Party in the elections. The BJP has accused Kejriwal of making a drama and playing a “victim card” after “mocking” Kashmiri scholars over “public outrage” over his remarks.
A case has been registered against the unidentified persons involved in the incident, Delhi Police said. The case was registered under sections 186 of the IPC (barring a public servant from performing official duties), 188 (disobedience of an order properly instituted by a public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to prevent a public servant from discharging his duties) and 332 (the case was registered). Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said the government employee was being hit voluntarily to keep him from his duties.
He said Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Government Property Act has also been introduced and teams have been sent for arrest. Sisodia alleged that BJP youth wing personnel had damaged CCTV cameras as well as security barricades at the chief minister’s residence in the presence of Delhi Police personnel. They allegedly threw paint at the main gate of the house.
Protesters, led by BJP Youth Morcha national president and MP Tejaswi Surya, were protesting against Kejriwal’s remarks on the recently released controversial film ‘The Kashmir Files’, which is based on the deportation of Kashmiri scholars from the Valley. The militant BJP, which has been targeting Kejriwal after swiping the party to promote the film, has demanded an apology from the chief minister, saying he had insulted Hindus by making comments about the film.
Rejecting the AAP’s outburst after the protests, Surya insisted that “the victims in this issue are Kashmiri Hindus and not the Aam Aadmi Party and Kejriwal”. The Chief Minister’s residence is located at 6, Flag Staff Road. The protest started around 11.30 am on Wednesday. Delhi Police said appropriate measures were taken but about 15-20 protesters were able to reach Flag Staff Road and were immediately evacuated.
Some protesters, at around 1pm, broke through two barricades and reached outside the CM House where they caused a commotion and chanted slogans, DCP Kolsi said. “They were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw the paint out the door. A Boom Barrier arm was also vandalized in the clashes, and a CCTV camera was also found. A police team immediately evacuated them from the scene and arrested about 70 people, ”he said.
A furious AAP has launched a scathing attack on the BJP. “Since Arvind Kejriwal could not be defeated in the recent Punjab elections, the BJP now wants to assassinate him. “Today’s attack on the chief minister’s house shows that the BJP wants to assassinate Kejriwal with the help of police,” Sisodia told a news conference at his residence.
He alleged that the “life-threatening attack” on Kejriwal was “properly planned”, adding that the Aam Aadmi Party would file a formal complaint in connection with the incident. On Twitter, MLA Sourav Bharadwaj alleged that after the AAP’s victory in the Punjab elections, the central government was “so terrified” that they were attacking the elected chief minister in collusion with the Delhi Police.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said it was a cowardly act and showed that the BJP was only afraid of the AAP and its national convener. The BJP hit back at the AAP, alleging that Kejriwal had “ridiculed Kashmiri Hindus who had been evicted from their homes by the mob”.
“The AAP, shaking with public outrage, is writing a new drama. Remember, those who were shocked to see the unarmed crowd at their doorstep were the ones who were mocking the forcible eviction of Kashmiri Hindus from their homes by the mob, ”tweeted Bijendra Gupta, a senior BJP leader in Delhi and Rohini MLA. Another senior BJP leader alleged that Kejriwal had supported the perpetrators of the “genocide”, claiming that the film was “false”.
“Are you dabbing paint on your gate and shouting ‘assassination attempt’ for the protesters?” You were not ashamed to laugh shamelessly at the plight of Kashmiri Hindus. BJP national vice-president and Delhi in-charge Joy Panda complained in a tweet, “Despite countless documented cases, you have called for the first movie to falsely portray their genocide – you have thus supported the real rapists and murderers.”
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Surya condemned Kejriwal’s remarks, saying “this attempt to whitewash the genocide is an injustice to civilization.” “This is a time-tested tactic of the urban Naxals. Our protest is not against any party. And it is not just about ‘The Kashmir Files’. This protest is against the inhumane mentality of Kejriwal who denies the Hindu genocide in Kashmir,” he said.
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