BJP attacks Shaheen Bagh protesters, lashes at AAP, Congress for supporting

BJP leaders on Thursday spoke in concert against the anti-CCA movement in Delhi with Kapil Mishra terming the protest sites "mini Pakistan" while his senior party colleagues dubbed Shaheen Bagh "shame bagh" and likened the protesters to anarchists.

BJP president J P Nadda also stepped into the fray to attack the Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party for backing the Shaheen Bagh protests.

As Mishra, who left the Aam Aadmi Party to join the BJP, said the upcoming assembly elections will be a contest "on Delhi roads between India and Pakistan", Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel and the party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra took up the theme in their press conferences later in the day.

 

Thousands of people, including women and children, have been protesting since December 15 at Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Millia Islamia as well as other sites against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens.

"Some people are sitting in protest against CAA but not a single Congress leader has condemned it, that is their character...," Nadda said at a public meeting in Palam.

In a veiled attack on Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who told a TV channel that he stood with the Shaheen Bagh protesters, Nadda added, "Vote comes first for them and country later. For us, country is important not the vote."

In a series of provocative tweets, Mishra, the party's candidate from Model Town, said Pakistani rioters have taken over the streets of the national capital.

He made no specific mention of the CAA but sharply attacked the protest at Shaheen Bagh and other places in the city.

"Pakistan has made its entry in Shaheen Bagh. Many mini Pakistans are being formed in Delhi. Indian law is not not being followed in Shaheen Bagh, Chandbagh, Indralok."

In another tweet, Mishra, who had successfully contested elections from Karawal Nagar in 2015, asserted the BJP will win the February 8 elections and Kejriwal will resign from his post when the votes are counted on February 11.

"India vs Pakistan 8th February Delhi. There will a contest on Delhi Roads between India and Pakistan on February 8," Mishra said.

"Pakistan has already entered Shaheen Bagh and small pockets of Pakistan are being created in Delhi," he added.

Taking a swipe at Mishra's contest remark, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh asked, "Has he joined BCCI? I had no idea."

Later, at a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra slammed the ruling party over the Shaheen Bagh protest, saying that the "anarchist stands with anarchist".

"Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has given a statement that he stands with Shaheen Bagh. I want to say anarchists stands with anarchists...at Shaheen Bagh, grand confusion is being spread (about CAA)," Patra said.

"AAP is running away from its responsibilities. Why haven't AAP leaders gone to Shaheen Bagh yet?...Shaheen Bagh has become Shame Bagh," Goel added. He also said the CAA does not take away anyone's citizenship rights.

Patra alleged that AAP leaders are inciting violence in the national capital.

"Being the chief minister of Delhi, why didn't Kejriwal and Sisodia go to Shaheen Bagh to appeal protestors to call off their protest and not to abuse the prime minister? They (AAP) are doing politics of appeasement..." the BJP spokesperson said.

Patra sought to know why the chief minister doesn't see the problems of residents living near Shaheen Bagh and listed Sarita Vihar, Jasola and Madangir Khadar.

Ambulances don't go to these areas due to protests against the CAA and people have been facing a lot of problems, the BJP leader said.