The war of words over the violence that broke out during farmers’ tractor march on Republic Day in Delhi intensified further on Thursday with the BJP, Congress and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) accusing each other of having instigated protesters.
The Delhi BJP alleged that an AAP “member” was seen with protesters at the Red Fort on Tuesday when the iconic monument was swarmed by protesters.
The Delhi BJP alleged that one Amrik Singh Micky was an AAP member and he was seen at the Red Fort with a flag.
“Amrik Singh Micky joined the AAP before 2020 Delhi Assembly elections in presence of MP Sanjay Singh and vocally campaigned for party candidate from Tilak Nagar Jarnail Singh in 2020. He is close to AAP’s Punjab MP Bhagwant Maan too,” Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.
As per the report, Kapoor also alleged that Amrik Singh Micky is “actively involved” in the AAP.
AAP reacts, puts blame at BJP’s doorsteps
Reacting to the BJP’s allegations, senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha alleged that Amrik Singh Micky was related to the BJP and its former ally the Akali Dal.
Raghav Chadha claimed his party has “several evidence” to prove this.
“Amrik Singh Micky has also been seen photographed with BJP and Akali Dal leaders on public platforms. He was also a member of BJP MP Sunny Deol’s election campaign team during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” he alleged.
Punjab Congress backs BJP’s claim, slams AAP
In an interesting turn of events, the Punjab Congress echoed the Delhi BJP’s allegations that Amrik Singh Micky is an AAP member.
Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar claimed that Amrik Singh Micky’s Facebook page shows him being inducted into the AAP on January 8, 2020.
As per the Indian Express, in a statement, Jakhar claimed it is now “clearly proven” that AAP members “incited” the Delhi violence, “in collusion with the BJP”.
BJP-Congress tu-tu main-main
Meanwhile, the BJP’s central leadership also slammed the Congress and accused it of inciting violence during the farmers’ tractor rally on January 26.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar said India will not tolerate its flag’s insult at Red Fort and alleged that the Congress has always worked to incite farmers during the ongoing agitation.
The opposition party cannot escape its responsibility as it is in power in Punjab, he said, adding that the state government should have arrested criminal elements as a preventive measure as people drove their tractors from there to the protest venue in Delhi.
Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Javadekar alleged that he (Rahul Gandhi) had always “worked to provoke” protestors and denounced violence only after it had drawn nationwide provocation.
“The Congress is desperate and frustrated. It wants to create a situation of unrest in the country. This is what is left of Congress’ politics. It worried as to what will happen to its family-based politics,” he said.
Responding to this charge, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said Prakash Javadekar’s comments were “disgraceful” and a “desperate attempt” to shift blame for the shocking violence at Red Fort.
He said the violence was “evidently instigated” by supporters and members of the BJP, in collusion with the AAP, and that the Congress was “nowhere in the picture”.
“Workers and supporters of BJP and AAP, and not the Congress, have been caught on camera waving the Nishan sahib at the Red Fort,” Amarinder Singh said, adding that not a single Congress leader or member was seen at the Red Fort indulging in any kind of lawlessness.
On Prakash Javadekar’s attack on Rahul Gandhi, Amarinder Singh asked, “Did the Congress leader ask anyone to climb Red Fort? He did not. It was BJP and AAP men who did that.”
“These allegations are nothing but a cover-up attempt by the BJP for its own role in the violence, and in fact for their utter failure to manage the situation, which they had created in the first place with the unilateral implementation of the black farm laws,” Captain Amarinder said.
(With agency inputs)
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