A political slugfest ensued a day after violence was reported during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in north west Delhi’s Janangirpuri in which nine people were injured.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and the Rohingya responsible for violence, alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was giving them political protection. The AAP, however, shot back saying that the BJP was itself responsible for fomenting trouble since Hanuman Jayanti celebrations organised by the party in other parts of the city were completed peacefully. The Congress, however, termed it a failure of intelligence and blamed the BJP-led central government for it.
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta along with BJP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly, and Northwest Delhi MP Hans Raj Hans visited Jahangirpuri police station and met those injured in the violence.
Speaking to the media outside the Jahangirpuri police station, Gupta slammed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for helping illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya settle in Delhi. “Kejriwal yesterday said that it is the Centre’s responsibility (to maintain law and order). I want to ask him what his responsibility is. Why is the Kejriwal government giving free power, water and ration to Rohingya and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants? The question is why is he giving political protection to these people.”
The AAP hit back at the BJP, saying it was the saffron party that protects “goons and hooligans”. “Seeing how the recent events have panned out, it is clear that the BJP itself is behind the violence. Adesh Gupta himself honoured and felicitated eight goons who were arrested for vandalism and hooliganism at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. When you yourself honour such goons you send a message to the masses that you are on the side of violence.”
Bidhuri said, “The peaceful procession was attacked by these people who were brandishing swords. We met the people who were injured. Strict action should be taken against these people.”
BJP MLA from Rohini Vijender Gupta on Sunday demanded that the AAP government must stop providing free electricity and water to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. “This is the hard-earned money of taxpayers that cannot be doled out to illegal immigrants,” he said.
The AAP asked why violence took place only at events organised by the BJP. “AAP also celebrated the Hanuman Janamotsav wholeheartedly through its Shobha Yatra in Greater Kailash that saw heartwarming interfaith bonding and respect as well as Delhi government’s Sundarkand in the Gole Market area later in the day. Why is it that such violence doesn’t take place in AAP’s events and only happens when BJP organises it? It is clear that the BJP is a party of goons and thugs who only care about creating violence and causing riots,” the AAP said.
Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar said the Union home ministry should have learnt some lessons from the clashes in UP, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, and taken precautionary steps.
