BJP's Gaurav Bhatia Criticizes Arvind Kejriwal Over Delhi Riots Verdict
BJP's Strong Accusations Against AAP Leader
On Tuesday, Gaurav Bhatia, the national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), launched a fierce attack on Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He labeled Kejriwal as one of the primary culprits alongside Tahir Hussain. This statement followed a trial court's ruling that found former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain guilty of the brutal murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots.
During a press conference, Bhatia welcomed the trial court's decision and accused Kejriwal of providing political protection to Hussain, alleging that he used him as a tool to incite communal violence. Bhatia emphasized that Hussain was the main accused in this heinous crime. At the time of the incident, he was an elected councillor for the AAP and a close associate of Kejriwal, often referred to as his right-hand man. Today, Hussain has been convicted under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for murder, Section 365 for kidnapping, and Section 153A for promoting enmity between different groups.
Bhatia stated that the case has been proven, and Hussain has received a sentence. Alongside him, four others—Javed, Anas, Nazim, and Qasim—were also sentenced. He asserted that the biggest culprit alongside Hussain is Arvind Kejriwal, who orchestrated these events and attempted to cover up the case. Despite being the Chief Minister, Kejriwal has not uttered a word about Ankit Sharma or the Indian citizens who lost their lives in the Delhi riots. Approximately 60 individuals were killed, yet he has remained silent on their behalf.
Referring to the court's comments, Bhatia noted that the murder was the result of a deep conspiracy targeting a specific community. He quoted a line from the court's statement: 'When Ankit moved towards the crowd, he (Hussain) incited the mob. When Ankit Sharma confronted the crowd while performing his duty, Tahir Hussain was the thug who was Kejriwal's right-hand man in the AAP. He delivered inflammatory speeches and orchestrated the entire incident.' The court further stated, 'When the accused were conspiring to kill Hindus for a similar purpose, Ankit's murder was included in this plan, as he was targeted for being a Hindu.'