New Delhi: Alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party was 'befitting' from the anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that the saffron party won't be left with any issue if they address the worries of the area. He further supported his statement by saying that Union home minister Amit Shah could get the blocked roads cleared in minutes, but that may not help his party to garner votes for the February 8 assembly elections.
"I don't know why the central government is not opening the road near Shaheen Bagh, when the issue comes under them. Basically, they don't want to do it as BJP is indulging in politics. Can't believe a powerful home minister like Amit Shah can't get that road cleared. If it gets open, there won't be an issue left for them," Kejriwal said at News18's 'Agenda Delhi'
The women of Delhi's little-known locality decided to stage a peaceful sit-in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a few days after the attack on students of Jamia Millia Islamia in December. The area, which lies just ahead of the university, has since then been blocked, choking the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch.
"BJP has created a law and order situation that is unprecedented. A minister says shoot them (anti-CAA protesters) and people are out firing. Will someone be willing to invest in this kind of circumstance? What kind of politics is this? All they are doing is talking. If they'll solve Shaheen Bagh issue there won't be an issue left for them," the Delhi CM reteriated.
His statement came in context to January 30 incident at Jamia where a gun-wielding 17-year-old boy opened fire at protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia, prompting opposition parties to blame Union minister Anurag Thakur for inciting violence.
Thakur at a rally ahead of the February 8 Assembly elections was caught on camera making inflammatory comments. Seen clapping his hands over his head, Thakur chanted, "Desh ke gaddaron ko (traitors of the country)...", with the crowd hitting back with "goli maaro s****n ko (shoot them all)".
The slogan had recently been raised by a few junior BJP leaders, including Kapil Mishra, but this is the first time a party functionary of the level of a Union minister has participated in it.
“The BJP run central government has three big departments in Delhi – the MCD, the police and the DDA. Why doesn’t it go to people and recount their achievements in any one of these three issues? Why doesn’t BJP talk about development programs?” Kejriwal asked.
Commenting on the upcoming election speech of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Kejriwal he expects the PM to offer to residents of Delhi programs that will develop the national capital. “We will implement these programs when we come to power but I expect PM to offer positive development programs in his speech.”
On a related note, he said that while the entire country was suffering from the effects of an economic slowdown, he expected some new measures that would stimulate purchase in the market and help get the country out of slowdown but he didn’t see any such measures in the Finance Minister’s speech. “I still think that CMs from all across the country should be invited and a brainstorming should happen on what all can be done to help the country get out of these times,” he said.
Remarking on the statement made by a BJP MP from Delhi who called Kejriwal a terrorist, the Delhi CM said that he quit his job as a commissioner in the Income Tax department and then sat on a hunger strike twice, which could have been fatal for a diabetic like him, “and still they call me a terrorist? I have given my everything for this country, stake my own life, run welfare schemes for people, including a free-of-cost pilgrimage to Hindu holy places for senior citizens…I think the voters of Delhi will decide whether I am their son, their brother or a terrorist,” Kejriwal said.
He said that it was for the first time in India’s 70 year history that a party was returning to ask for votes in the name of positive, development works they’ve done for the public. “We are asking for votes in the name of schools we have redeveloped, in the names of hospitals.”
When asked to name some works that he thought he couldn’t do in this 5 year term, Kejriwal said that on the issue of full statehood for Delhi, on Lokpal and Swaraj bills, and on the issue of redevelopment of unauthorised colonies, he needed more support for central government.
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