New Delhi: Hindu and Sikh refugees living in various parts of Delhi staged a protest near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence here on Thursday, demanding an apology from him over his statements against the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
In posts on X in Hindi, Kejriwal slammed the protesters calling them “Pakistanis” and questioned their “audacity” to seek an apology from a chief minister elected with a huge mandate.
The protesters assembled near the Chandgiram Akhara and attempted to march towards Kejriwal’s bungalow but were stopped by police.
“The Narendra Modi government is giving us citizenship while Kejriwal is asking who will give us jobs and houses. He does not understand our pain,” said Panjuram, one of the protesters.
The protesters said Kejriwal should withdraw his statements against the CAA and refugees, and tender an apology.
Kejriwal claimed that while protesters were allowed near his residence, farmers were not allowed to even enter the national capital.
“Pakistanis are allowed to protest outside my house with full police protection and respect, and farmers of this country are not even allowed to come to Delhi? Tear gas shells, sticks, rods and bullets on Indian farmers? And so much respect for Pakistanis?” Kejriwal said on X.
No reaction was immediately available from the Delhi Police on Kejriwal’s charge.
Hindu and Sikh refugees living in Rohini, Adarsh Nagar, near Signature Bridge and Majnu ka Tilla took part in the protest.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Kejriwal alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to settle poor people hailing from minority communities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the country through the CAA and create a vote bank for itself.
He had also alleged that those coming from Pakistan and Bangladesh and settling here will be given jobs and houses and that, in turn, will affect the locals.
The Centre implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, on Monday, paving the way for grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.
Kejriwal in another post on X said, “Today some Pakistanis demonstrated and created ruckus in front of my house. The Delhi Police gave them full support.”
“They have so much audacity that having entered our country they are asking for a chief minister elected with a huge mandate of the people of Delhi to apologise, and the BJP is supporting them. The BJP for its hatred against me is standing with Pakistanis and betraying the country…,” Kejriwal alleged.
He alleged that after CAA these “Pakistanis” will spread across the country and threaten people and create ruckus. Kejriwal alleged that the BJP wanted to make them its vote bank.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva hit out at Kejriwal, saying that the Delhi chief minister does not have a moral compass to tell how the country should be run because of the “corruption and loot” of his government here in the last 10 years.
“He is now making contradictory statements to please a specific group. Kejriwal only wants to indulge in politics of religion because he has lost empathy,” Sachdeva said.
He said that a large number of Rohingyas have settled in Delhi even though Kejriwal has been the chief minister for 10 years. He never speaks about this, the BJP leader said.
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