Campaigning for BJP’s candidate from Model Town, Kapil Mishra, on Monday evening, Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari accused the Delhi government of giving “rioters” Rs 5 lakh. “Don’t we have to keep Delhi safe? People are entering galis with bombs, they’re rioting. The Delhi government is giving rioters Rs 5 lakh. Should they get money or punishment?. Isn’t it time to teach a lesson to those who are siding with the rioters?” he said, addressing people at Lal Bagh. He ended his address with the slogan, “Sabak sikhaane ki samay aayi hai, aur Kapil humaara bhai hai.” On Saturday, Mishra had been banned from campaigning for 48 hours by the Election Commission for tweets comparing the upcoming election to an India-Pakistan contest and calling Shaheen Bagh “mini-Pakistan”. “I’m holding a mic after 48 hours,” said Mishra to the gathering. “I have not apologised for my remarks. Am I not correct in doing so?” He added, “Today, those who are blocking the road on Delhi, unko muh tod jawaab dena padega ki nahi?” He said people should choose BJP “Shaheen Bagh ka jawaab dene ke liye, Dilli ke vikaas ke liye, Modiji ke saath chalne ke liye.” Tiwari led the roadshow through the streets of Lal Bagh, a JJ cluster in Azadpur. A local BJP worker said the emphasis on campaigning in JJ clusters was owing to the popularity of the Aam Aadmi Party in these areas. “If we look at the posh parts of the constituency, the votes are with the BJP. The JJ clusters are a problem because of the freebies given out by the government,” he said. Some residents from the locality complained of a lack of drinking water and health facilities in the vicinity. “My family buys Rs 20 bottles of drinking water because of which we spend Rs 600 every month,” said Rajkumari (40), a domestic help at a house in Derawala. Residents also said they live under the shadow of demolition. “I pray to you, in 20 years, you have given everyone a chance. Only a BJP government has not come in Delhi. The BJP has given the word of jahaan jhuggi, wahaan makaan. It took work by Modi ji as PM and me as an MP to give ownership rights to unauthorised colonies. So don’t we get a right (to form a government)?” said Tiwari.
