'Delhi's law & order under Centre,' Pawar blames BJP for violence in capital

Delhi BJP leaders have claimed links between Jahangirpuri violence accused Md Ansar and the ruling AAP, saying police should probe why 'masterminds' of the incident were "found associated with a particular party".

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Monday blamed the BJP and ‘some of its organisations’ for the communal violence held during Ram Navmi in different parts of the country. In a veiled attack, Pawar said “Delhi's law and order situation comes under the Central government”.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar.

"We never heard of communal violence during Ram Navami. The reason behind this is the BJP and some of their organisation. Delhi's law and order situation come under the Central government," Pawar told reporters.

"Any organisation apart from political parties which creates problems, can create unrest & if any state govt or Central govt wants to ban it (PFI), I will not say no," the NCP chief added.

On the occasion of Ram Navmi, incidents of clashes were reported from four states- Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. The clashes reportedly erupted as rallies were taken out to mark the Hindu festival.

But the recent violence in the national capital took place during a Hanuman Jayanti 'Shobha Yatra' in Jahangirpuri area. At least 23 people have been arrested in the case.

Politics has already erupted over the violence in the national capital.

Delhi BJP leaders have claimed links between Jahangirpuri violence accused Md Ansar and the ruling AAP, saying police should probe why 'masterminds' of the incident were "found associated with a particular party".

"The mastermind of the attack in Jahangirpuri -- Md Ansar -- has been found to be a worker of AAP. There are evidences of this in the form of photographs. Tahir Hussain who was the mastermind of the Delhi riots in 2020 was also an AAP councilor. Is AAP running a riots factory?" Manoj Tiwari, the BJP MP from Northeast Delhi which witnessed riots in 2020, told PTI.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain hit out at the BJP over the communal violence. "Ask the home minister, under whom the (Delhi) police comes, why is he not improving the law and order situation," he told reporters.

(With PTI inputs)