Journalism of Courage
WITH UNION Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar also making a “terrorist” jibe at Arvind Kejriwal, days after West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma made a similar comment, the AAP on Monday “challenged” the BJP to “arrest and jail” the Delhi Chief Minister. An AAP delegation also met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora.
Addressing a press conference, flanked by Union Minister of State (Finance) Anurag Thakur, Javadekar said there is plenty of “evidence” to show that Kejriwal is a “terrorist”, including the fact that the AAP chief had once called himself an anarchist.
“He (Kejriwal) is making a very innocent face and asking whether he is a terrorist. Toh aatankvaadee ho iske bahut saboot hain. Aapne khud kaha tha main araajakvaadee hoon. Araajakvaad aur aatankvaad mein bahut zyada antar nahi hota. Aur Punjab ke chunav mein, jab ek hafta bacha tha, tab Moga mein, Khalistan Commando Force ke aatankvaadee, commander Gurinder Singh, ke ghar pe raat bhar ruke the (There is plenty of evidence to prove you are a terrorist. You had called yourself an anarchist. There is not much difference between an anarchist and a terrorist.
One week before the Punjab assembly polls, you had spent a night at Khalistani commando force commander Gurinder Singh’s house),” Javadekar said.
He said the “AAP is supporting Shaheen Bagh where slogans such as ‘Assam ko azadi’, ‘Jinnah wali azadi’ are being raised”, adding that “supporting such slogans is also terrorism”.
Saying that the Delhi government had still not granted sanction to the Delhi Police to prosecute former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a sedition case, Javadekar said: “On January 26, you threatened that you would stop their prosecution. How much more evidence do you need? The people of Delhi now know that you are an anarchist and sympathise with terrorists. You are supporting Shaheen Bagh, JNU, the slogans being raised there and all such anarchists… then you are definitely a terrorist. This is your identity, no matter how much of an innocent face you make.”
The last leg of AAP’s campaign has been structured around the terrorist jibe, with the party hoping to generate a backlash against the BJP.
Later in the day, an AAP delegation met CEC Sunil Arora and demanded that FIRs be lodged against Javadekar, Verma and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who, while addressing rallies in Delhi, alleged that “Kejriwal and Pakistan are on the same page” on various issues, including the abrogation of Article 370. Kejriwal had, in fact, welcomed the Centre’s decision to scrap J&K’s special status under Article 370.
On Monday, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said BJP leaders were making such statements “out of desperation”, saying it is becoming “increasingly clear” that the AAP is headed for a comprehensive victory in the February 8 Delhi Assembly elections.
“This is happening when the Parliament is in session. Such statements should attract FIRs. First, their MP (Verma) called the Chief Minister a terrorist, then their Haryana Chief Minister called Kejriwal a Haryana monkey, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alleged that Kejriwal has links with Pakistan and also mocked his coughing issues. On Monday, Javadekar once again called him a terrorist. What is happening under the watch of the EC? How can a Union Minister speak such language? If Kejriwal is a terrorist, then I dare the BJP to arrest him. If Kejriwal is a terrorist, put him in jail. They have crossed all limits of decency,” Singh said.
The AAP’s poll in-charge said that through such statements, the BJP is making a mockery of election guidelines, which the EC is supposed to uphold. Singh also referred to the incidents of firing in Jamia Nagar and Shaheen Bagh areas, which, he said, were a stinging indictment of the Delhi Police, which comes under the Union Home Ministry.
“Their MP Anantkumar Hegde says Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle was a drama. I am sorry to say this, but the Prime Minister should know that he sits with people who are worshippers of Nathuram Godse and treat the Mahatma as a traitor,” he said.
The AAP also raised with the EC a statement that BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra reportedly made during the course of a TV debate with Singh and Congress’s Ragini Nayak. According to Singh, Patra said, “Hinduon savdhaan ho jaiye, varna Hindu kaate jaayenge”. “This comes from the spokesperson of a party which controls the country’s law and order. If you cannot even assure protection to people, then give up power and retreat to your homes,” Singh said.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the CEC, Singh said: “BJP wants to create big trouble in the city and get the polls postponed. They don’t have any issues at hand. We kept before the CEC statements made by Verma, Javadekar, Adityanath and Patra. We have demanded FIRs against all of them. These statements also amount to violation of the MCC and they should be barred from campaigning.”
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