Zee Media Bureau
Ghaziabad: Hours after the attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters in Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh home department on Thursday is expected to take a decision on providing Z-category security to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal despite his refusal to accept any security for himself or his office here.
According to a news report, UP government officials do not want to take any chance on the security measures of Kejriwal after activists of right-wing group Hindu Raksha Dal yesterday attacked and vandalised the AAP headquarters to protest against AAP leader Prashant Bhushan`s remarks concerning a referendum in Kashmir.
Following the untoward incident, reportedly, Ghaziabad senior superintendent of UP police has been directed to deploy security near Delhi CM`s house here.
However, Ghaziabad Police today arrested the national convenor of Hindu Raksha Dal and 12 others in connection with the incident.
Hindu Raksha Dal national convenor Pinki Choudhary was arrested from Sahibabad area here and an FIR was lodged against him, along with 30-40 unknown persons, in connection with the attack.
"We have registered an FIR against Pinky Choudhary and around 30-40 unknown persons for the attack on AAP`s office," Deputy Superintendent of Police Ran Vijay Singh said.
"A case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered," he said, adding that police have so far arrested 13 persons in this regard and more arrests would be made soon.
"Police are scanning footage of CCTV cameras installed in the party`s office to identify other accused, who would also be arrested soon," the DSP said.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal questioned the miscreants` motive and wondered whether they wanted to kill him and Prashant Bhushan.
Around 40 activists of Hindu Rakshak Dal yesterday broke flower pots kept outside the AAP office here and tore up posters. Some glass doors were also smashed in the attack. The group attacked the office due to the remarks made by Bhushan that a referendum should be carried out in Kashmir to decide on deployment of the army to deal with security threats in the valley.
"Let us assume that Prashant Bhushan indeed said something objectionable, so what do they want? Do they want to kill Prashantji? We have cleared the stand of our party and (Bhushan) has also said many times that his opinion was misinterpreted. He has even stated that he doesn`t want a referendum," Kejriwal said, adding, "Do they also want to kill me?".
Reiterating his stand on Kashmir, Kejriwal said it was an integral part of India and nobody could separate it from the country.
"Army deployment in various parts of the country is a matter of internal security assessment, which is done by the government. The sentiments of local people should be respected in such decisions," he said, adding that the issue cannot be solved by a referendum.
He further added that, "No god can create such a `sena` (army) that attacks the offices and houses of people. It is against the principles of Lord Rama. I am also a Hindu."
Further, a major political uproar broke over this matter after Bhushan blamed Bharatiya Janata Party for this attack while saying that, “So-called nationalist party, the BJP, has started unleashing its goons against the AAP.”
Reacting to which BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman said, “We condemn the attack on AAP`s office as well as what Prashant Bhushan said on BJP.”
