Sharad Pawar backs Arvind Kejriwal over Jahangirpuri clashes, targets Centre

Pawar was referring to the recent communal clashes in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area, where incidents of stone-pelting and vehicles being set on fire were reported earlier this month during a religious procession on Hanuman Jayanti.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday alleged that an attempt was made to disturb the atmosphere in Delhi as it is ruled by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, who is vocal against the central government. The NCP leader underlined that maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the Centre and added: "If such an attempt is made in Maharashtra, Hindus and Muslims will come together and will not allow anyone to do so."

File photo of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. 

Pawar was referring to the recent communal clashes in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area, where incidents of stone-pelting and vehicles being set on fire were reported earlier this month during a religious procession on Hanuman Jayanti. Roughly eight police personnel and one civilian were injured in the clashes.

In a similar attack on the Centre last week, Pawar said people at the helm in the Union home ministry “should have ensured that the nation’s capital remained united” “Who rules Delhi? The (Arvind) Kejriwal government. But the Delhi home ministry is with the Centre, with BJP, and Amit Shah. Those who held the home ministry should have ensured that the nation’s capital remained united. They should have taken necessary steps towards that, but he has not done so,” he had said.

Ansar Sheikh, a scrap dealer from Jahangirpuri has been named as the prime accused.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police is now investigating the matter.

The unrest was further fuelled after bulldozers tore down several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque, days after the Jahangirpuri violence on April 19. Later, the BJP-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation said the bulldozers were sent as part of an anti-encroachment drive and had no relation to the violence. The residents alleged that their houses and shops were bulldozed without any prior eviction notice.