BJP MP Parvesh Verma on Tuesday raised the spectre of Shaheen Bagh's anti-CAA protesters in their lakhs entering homes to rape and kill women, provoking opposition outrage as the Delhi election chief submitted a report on his remarks to the Election Commission.
The West Delhi MP, who asserted in an election rally on Monday that the Shaheen Bagh protest site will be cleared in an hour on February 11 if his party comes to power,
also said what happened in Kashmir with Kashmiri Pandits could happen in Delhi too.
Votes for the Delhi elections, being held on February 8, will be counted on February 11.
"What happened in Kashmir with Kashmiri Pandits could happen in Delhi also. Lakhs of people gather at Shaheen Bagh, they could enter houses rape and kill your sisters and daughters. The people need to decide now," Verma told PTI, controversial comments that attracted widespread attention.
He also told media persons there should be a probe on who was instigating people to protest against the CAA despite repeated clarifications by the government that no Indian citizen would lose citizenship due to the amended law.
Verma said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia had supported Shaheen Bagh protesters and it was now time for the people of the national capital to decide who they want to vote for on February 8.
Addressing an election rally in Janakpuri on Monday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Verma spoke of vacating the Shaheen Bagh protest site on the night of February 11. He also reiterated that 40 mosques, graveyards and 'mazars' illegally constructed on government land in his constituency would be cleared within if the BJP wins the elections.
Verma made the same statement at a press conference earlier this month, but put the figure of the illegal constructions at around 50.
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer sent a report to the Election Commission on Verma's "provocative statements".
Sources in the poll panel said BJP leader and Union minister Anurag Thakur and Verma are likely to be issued show cause notices by the Election Commission soon for their controversial remarks. They said the EC had examined the reports sent by the Delhi CEO Office, and is of the view that the show cause notices should be issued to the two party leaders.
Thakur had egged on the crowd at a rally on Monday to raise an incendiary slogan -- "traitors should be shot at" -- after he lashed out at anti-CAA protestors.
Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra and his party colleague Ajay Maken filed complaints against Thakur and Verma with the Election Commission.
The Congress asked for a ban on Varma and Thakur campaigning, alleging that they were making provocative statements to "communalise and polarise" Delhi elections.
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