AAP vs bureaucrats: Team Kejriwal says Dalit & Muslims targeted as BJP protests

While BJP is protesting against AAP, the latter alleges that its Dalit and Muslim lawmakers are being targeted.

New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday staged a protest against Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by its two legislators - Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan.

According to reports, the Delhi BJP-led by its chief Manoj Tiwari, today held a protest outside Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's residence in connection with the case.

The Delhi BJP is said to be holding a 'prayer meet' over the shocking incident.

Alleged assault on Delhi's Chief secretary Anshu Prakash case: BJP workers protest outside Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's residence. pic.twitter.com/ZA88lml6t7 — ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2018

The IAS Association and several political parties have condemned the attack on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

Strongly condemn the assault on Chief Secretary, Delhi. It's a criminal, cowardly & deplorable act and an assault on the Constitution. We stand by our colleagues in Delhi and demand immediate arrest of the perpetrators of such shameful act. — IAS Association (@IASassociation) February 20, 2018

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal's party is also holding a protest outside Home Minister Rajnath Singh's residence, alleging attack on his party leaders inside Delhi Secretariat.

AAP workers protest outside HM Rajnath Singh's residence alleging attack on AAP leaders in #Delhi Secretariat. pic.twitter.com/wJJ4lAc0CI — ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2018

However, AAP minister Rajendra Pal Gautam was detained as he was moving towards Home Minister Rajnath Singh`s residence along with some party workers to protest against the "casteist remarks" made by Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

Calling the alleged assault on a Delhi bureaucrat a "conspiracy", the ruling AAP said that its two MLAs - Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan - were arrested in the case without any inquiry because they belonged to the 'Dalit and Muslim' community respectively.

Based on the allegation of assault made by Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, the two were arrested on the BJP`s instructions without being given a chance to state their version, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh told the media.

Citing examples of Gujarat's Una and Rajasthan's Pehlu Khan's case, Singh said under the BJP`s rule in various states, Dalits and Muslims were becoming victims of communal violence.

Taking a dig at BJP Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari, Sanjay Singh said, "You call us urban Naxalites (Maoists)? We have never incited any violence (among different communities)." 

Singh further said that the police ignored the evidence on the attack on Delhi Minister Imran Hussain and his personal secretary Himanshu Singh but acted on the statement by the Chief Secretary.

"We have the video footage of what happened at Delhi Secretariat yesterday (Tuesday) when our Minister and his Personal Secretary were attacked by a mob that was incited by the BJP but nothing has been done about it,'' he alleged.

"Words of the Chief Secretary are being treated as gospel truth," he said, adding the top bureaucrat was making "false" allegations.

Singh's AAP colleague Ashutosh too alleged that people outside the Delhi Secretariat were provoked and that led to the commotion and beating up of Hussain and his aide onTuesday.

"CCTV footage should be made public to identify the perpetrators," he demanded.

The AAP leader said that an emergency meeting was convened on Monday night to address the issue of 250,000 families who were deprived of food rations due to faulty implementation of Aadhaar.

"When the Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal) can visit people at 2 am or 3 am, why can't there be a late night meeting regarding the important issue of rations,'' Ashitosh asked. 

"If somebody dies of hunger in the state, will the Chief Secretary be answerable or will it be the Lt Governor (Anil Baijal)? Arvind Kejriwal will be questioned," he said.

According to the AAP leader, the Chief Secretary, who has alleged that AAP MLAs assaulted him in the presence of Kejriwal during the meeting, would have called police immediately after the incident if he was actually assaulted.

"Anybody physically assaulted by someone would immediately call the police. Why didn’t the Chief Secretary do so? The next morning he started making these allegations against our MLAs,'' he said.

Asking why the Chief Secretary’s injury report wasn`t prepared by a doctor on the same day, Sanjay Singh said: "The medico-legal certificate is coming today when the incident happened three days back."

Stressing that this was a BJP-led Central government`s conspiracy against the AAP, he said, "To be associated with AAP is considered to be a crime by the Centre.

In view of allegations of assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash and Delhi minister Imran Hussain's aide in two separate incidents, medical examination reports revealed injuries on both persons.

The Chief Secretary' medical examination report revealed "mild swelling behind both ears" and "bruise over lower lip". The report has termed the nature of injuries as "simple" and the weapon used as "blunt". 

Meanwhile, the ministerial aide`s medical report shared by a Delhi government spokesperson revealed "multiple bruises seen all over back, linear in shape".