Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday targeted the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh, where elections are due later this year, after flags linked to separatist Khalistan movement were found at the state assembly. Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jairam Thakur sharply reacted over the incident, calling it a “cowardly act”.
Taking to twitter, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the putting up of the Khalistan flags outside the gate of Himachal assembly building in Dharamshala was a “complete” failure. “Entire BJP is trying to save one goon and Khalistani left with flags there. The government which cannot save the legislative assembly, how will it save the people. This is a matter of Himachal's respect, it is a matter of security of the country. The BJP government has completely failed,” the AAP leader’s tweet, loosely translated from Hindi, read.
The flags were put up on the outer side of the main gate number one of the assembly complex, which have now been removed by the administration. Pro-Khalistan slogans were also reportedly found scribbled on the walls of the assembly complex, which were later painted again.
"I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala assembly complex in the night. There is only a winter session in this assembly, so there is a need for more security arrangements here during that time," the Himachal CM had earlier tweeted in Hindi.
{{/usCountry}}"I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala assembly complex in the night. There is only a winter session in this assembly, so there is a need for more security arrangements here during that time," the Himachal CM had earlier tweeted in Hindi.
{{/usCountry}}The AAP and the BJP have been at loggerheads ever since the BJP’s Tajinder Bagga was arrested in Delhi by the police from Punjab, also ruled by Arvind Kejriwal’s party. Bagga has been accused of threatening Kejriwal.
Soon after his arrest on Friday, Bagga was brought back by the Delhi police the same day after a high-voltage drama which drew police of three states and kicked up a slugfest between the AAP and the BJP.
In the run up the assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh later this year, the AAP recently found itself at the centre of a controversy after the BJP accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's social media in-charge in the hill state, Harpreet Singh Bedi, of openly supporting the Khalistan referring to a series of his tweets posted on the microblogging site few years ago.
Acting swiftly on the BJP's allegations, the AAP had expelled Bedi from “all posts” in the party over his alleged “pro-Khalistani” tweets.
Buoyed by its landslide victory in the neighbouring Punjab, the AAP is gearing up to contest on all seats in the upcoming assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh later this year.
(With inputs from PTI)