BJP at fault for religious tensions: Oppn flays Jahangirpuri demolition action

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation deployed bulldozers to demolish purportedly illegal constructions at Jahangirpuri, where clashes broke out on Saturday between Hindu and Muslim groups. Several of BJP’s rivals said the action was a fallout of that incident.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the demolition work carried out at Jahangirpuri on Wednesday, alleged that the rival party – in power at the Centre and the civic bodies – was responsible for fomenting religious tensions across the country.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat stands in front of a bulldozer during the demolition of shops in New Delhi's Jahangirpuri in New Delhi on Wednesday. (AP)

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation deployed bulldozers to demolish purportedly illegal constructions at Jahangirpuri, where clashes broke out on Saturday between Hindu and Muslim groups. Several of BJP’s rivals said the action was a fallout of that incident.

“The existence of the BJP has become synonymous with hooliganism and anarchy in India today. BJP leaders are never seen talking about education, health and development, instead they are seen felicitating hooligans for spreading unrest in the country. The BJP is solely responsible for all the unrest in the country today and the easiest way to get rid of this situation is to run a bulldozer over BJP headquarters,” said deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

The senior AAP leader said the BJP must answer why “a huge number of Bangladeshis-Rohingyas were settled across the country in the last eight years of BJP’s reign”. “They must give an account of how many Bangladeshis-Rohingyas have been settled in different places across the country. On the basis of these figures anyone can predict where the next riots will happen,” Sisodia said.

Commenting on the demolition drive by the north MCD on Wednesday, he asked why did the BJP-led MCD let the illegal structures flourish in the area in the past 15 years in the first place. “And now that people have settled down, they are staging the demolition drive. Along with these illegal structures, houses of those BJP leaders should also be demolished under whose reign these illegal structures flourished in the past 15 years. The people of the country want to discuss education, employment and inflation, but the BJP wants people to talk about violence and ruffianism. And moreover, for those who commit violent acts, BJP honours them and welcomes them to the party,” Sisodia said.

CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat visited the demolition site and urged the civic staff to stop the demolition instantly in complying with a Supreme Court order in the morning ordering the drive to be halted.

“At 10:45 am, the SC gave the order to maintain the status quo on the demolition drive, I have come here for the implementation of the order,” she said, before blocking the way of a bulldozer at one point.

“I appeal to the people of Jahangirpur to maintain peace and harmony and wait for Supreme Court’s next order. Demolition was against the Constitution,” Karat said.

“The law and the Constitution have been bulldozed by carrying out illegal demolitions. At least the Supreme Court and its order should not be bulldozed,” she added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too hit out at the BJP. “This is a demolition of India’s constitutional values. This is state-sponsored targeting of poor & minorities. BJP must bulldoze the hatred in their hearts instead.”