Political slugfest over Jahangirpuri violence as AAP blames BJP

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said, "We have urged the police commissioner to look into two important aspects during the investigation. Role of the Aam Aadmi Party should be thoroughly investigated in the Jahangirpuri violence, as AAP members and leaders were the masterminds of Delhi riots."

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday alleged that the main accused of the Jahangirpuri riots has “deep ties” with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sharing photos that purported to show the suspect participating in opposition party events.

Security forces place barricades at the site of communal clash during a religious procession in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area. (HT Photo/Amal KS)

The allegation came hours after the BJP alleged Ansar belonged to the AAP, and demanded that the role of the ruling party in the violence be investigated.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said, “We have urged the police commissioner to look into two important aspects during the investigation. Role of the Aam Aadmi Party should be thoroughly investigated in the Jahangirpuri violence, as AAP members and leaders were the masterminds of Delhi riots. Also, Ansar and others arrested in the Jahangirpuri incident are connected to AAP. We have shared the ground report (information) with the police.”

Hours later, AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Sanjay Singh held a press conference and released pictures suggesting Ansar is a BJP leader.

“On April 16, the entire country celebrated Hanuman Janamotsav, and the BJP has been driving a single narrative since that day regarding the Jahangirpuri riots – that the mastermind behind these riots is a man who goes by the name ‘Ansar’. They have been further circulating an image of this alleged Ansar, in which the man can be spotted wearing several garlands and donning an AAP cap. Using this image as a prop, the BJP is hell bent on trying to associate the mastermind behind the riots to the AAP, falsely putting the blame on AAP for inciting these riots. I have with me other photos of this alleged mastermind Ansar, in which he can be clearly seen wearing saffron with BJP symbols,” Bhardwaj said.

Atishi said Ansar played an important role in BJP’s 2017 councillor candidate Sangeeta Bajaj’s elections. “Ansar has consistently been playing an active role in the BJP and has promoted the saffron party with all his might. He can also be seen standing on the stage with BJP leaders,” she said showing pictures in which Ansar is seen wearing a BJP cap, sash and a brooch.

Responding to AAP’s claims, Delhi BJP spokespersons Harish Khurana and Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that over the past few years, Ansar became the backbone of the AAP in the Jahangirpuri area.

“Today Atishi and Bhardwaj released very old photos to depict Ansar is campaigning for BJP’s councillor candidate Sangeeta Bajaj. While issuing this photo, both AAP leaders forgot that the Sangeeta Bajaj along with her supporters joined the AAP on January 21, 2020 in the presence of MP Sanjay Singh. Ansar must have gone with her,” Khurana said.

Bhardwaj alleged that the BJP propagated violent mobs in seven states just to win elections by dividing society. “While we repeatedly said that the BJP is instigating riots in Delhi, their leaders were busy gaining political mileage from the violence. A script was prepared in BJP headquarters that instructed the police to let the riots happen, then claim mastermind Ansar to be from AAP and disassociate BJP’s ties with him,” he said.

Sanjay Singh also lashed out at the saffron party, saying that people voted for the BJP in the name of development, education, health care, employment, but alleged the party was more interested in “fuelling riots”.