Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Sunday alleged that some AAP workers dressed in saffron and wielding swords had raised provocative slogans outside a mosque during a Ram Navami procession in a bid to create tension, a charge dismissed by the ruling party.
The AAP alleged that the “wild” accusations were a desperate bid to mislead the public and divert attention from the crimes committed under the BJP’s rule in Unnao and Kathua.
Referring to a video telecast by a Hindi channel, Tiwari claimed that the AAP and the Congress were trying to “break” the society as development was no longer an issue for them and trying to defame the BJP.
Describing the incident, he alleged that a group of four or five people wearing saffron ‘gamchas’ and wielding swords had raised provocative slogans in front of a mosque here immediately after a Ram Navami procession passed by it.
He alleged that the person leading the group was an AAP worker and was sent by the ruling party to incite communal tension in the national capital.
“They raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram and made provocative statements outside the mosque which challenged the unity of the country… I’m grateful to the people in the mosque and of that area for not reacting in the face of provocation,” he said.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who was also present at the press conference, alleged that AAP was trying to vitiate the atmosphere.
Tiwari also read out a letter to establish that the two people from the group worked for the AAP and asked Delhiites to remain alert against such provocations.
आम आदमी पार्टी और कांग्रेस दोनों समाज को तोड़ने का काम कर रही है। ये बराबर देश में दंगा फ़ैलाने की कोशिश कर रहे है। श्री राम नवमी के दिन आम आदमी पार्टी के कार्यकर्ताओं ने मस्जिद के सामने खड़े होकर तलवार लहराई और भड़काऊ नारे भी लगाए: श्री @ManojTiwariMPhttps://t.co/WXam4WJyze pic.twitter.com/ewCiT1d2lg
— BJP (@BJP4India) April 15, 2018
The AAP, in a statement, termed the allegations as wild and imaginary. “This is a failed and desperate bid to mislead the public and divert attention from ghastly crimes committed in BJP rule in Unnao and Kathua,” it claimed.
The party said 250 processions were held in the national capital on the occasions of Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti for which permission was given by the Delhi Police.
It said that as the police were under the BJP government at the Centre, they could easily find out which organisations held the processions.
It said that as Javadekar was convinced that the organisations were orchestrating riots in Delhi, he should immediately get them arrested and prosecuted.
It said that he was free to get the matter probed to find out the truth and the party was against any such activity.