Jahangirpuri clashes a 'conspiracy'; probe role of illegal immigrants: BJP

Charred remains of a scooter after violent clashes during a Hanuman Jayanti procession at Jahangirpuri in New Delhi on Saturday (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (April 16, 2022) called the clashes during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Delhi's Jahangirpuri a "conspiracy" and demanded a probe into the role of "illegal immigrants" in the incident.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and party MP Manoj Tiwari said the "attack" on the procession was "not a spontaneous incident, but a conspiracy".

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister and BJP leader Kapil Mishra said that the stone pelting on the procession was a "terrorist attack" and demanded immediate expulsion of illegal immigrants from the country.

The statements came after clashes broke out between two communities during the procession in Jahangirpuri on Saturday, leaving several policemen injured. Police said there was stone-pelting and some vehicles were also torched in the violence that occurred at around 6 pm. 

Illegal migrants are big threat

North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who had earlier raised the issue of illegal immigrants living in the city, said those protecting such settlers were a "bigger" threat.

"Illegal migrants are a big threat and need to be investigated as they are spoiling the harmony of our nation. People who are protecting and helping them settle here are a bigger threat!," he tweeted after the incident.

illegal migrants are big threat and need to be investigated as they are spoiling the harmony of our nation. People who are protecting and helping them settle here are a bigger threat! https://t.co/mWVkzFO5zG — Manoj Tiwari  (@ManojTiwariMP) April 16, 2022

Guilty must be punished

The Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urge him to order a probe into the violence. He also questioned how the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis living illegally in Delhi were provided water and electricity connections.

"I want to ask (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal why is he providing water and electricity to Rohingyas and Bangladeshis living illegally in the city," he said in a video message.

दिल्ली भाजपा का एक डेलिगेशन जहांगीरपुरी इलाके में जाएगा और पथराव की घटना की जांच करेगा।

मैं इसको लेकर स्वयं गृहमंत्री @AmitShah जी से मुलाकात करूँगा।

मैं मुख्यमंत्री @ArvindKejriwal से पूछना चाहता हूं कि रोहिंग्या और बांग्लादेशियों को आप बिजली पानी मुहैया क्यों करा रहे हैं? — Adesh Gupta (@adeshguptabjp) April 16, 2022

The BJP leader also appealed to Delhiites to maintain peace and added that the guilty must be punished.

Attack on Hanuman Jayanti procession was terrorist attack

Kapil Mishra said that the papers of all illegal immigrants should be checked and they should be immediately expelled.

जहांगीरपुरी में जो हुआ वो संयोग नहीं प्रयोग हैं

इसे आतंकवादी हमलें की तरह डील किया जाना जरूरी

ये दिल्ली दंगो को दोहराने की कोशिश हैं

सारे देश में निहत्थे राम भक्तों पर घात लगाकर हमलें किये जा रहे है

इन अपराधियों का कठोर ईलाज जरूरी pic.twitter.com/WAgxwbAQqK — Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) April 16, 2022

"The attack on Hanuman Jayanti procession was not a 'Sanyog' (spontaneous) but a 'Prayog' (experiment). It was a terrorist attack. The settlements of Bangladeshi trespassers was now involved in attacks," he said.

Against culture of Delhi

BJP MP Gautam Gambhir also condemned the Jahangirpuri violence and said that those who do this don't deserve to be called Delhiites. 

"Those who do this neither deserve to be called Delhiites nor to live here. I want to appeal to all to maintain peace. The culprits will get the harshest punishment," the cricketer-turned-politician said.

हनुमान जयंती की शोभायात्रा पर पथराव दुःखद और निंदनीय है. ऐसा करने वाले न दिल्लीवासी कहलाने लायक हैं और न यहाँ रहने के. मैं सभी से अपील करना चाहता हूँ की शांति बनाए रखें. दोषियों को कड़ी से कड़ी सज़ा मिलेगी! — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) April 16, 2022

Arvind Kejriwal appeals to maintain peace

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the incident is extremely condemnable and appealed to all to maintain peace. He said that the Lt Governor has assured him that all steps are being to ensure peace and that guilty will not be spared.

"The incident of stone-pelting on Shobhayatra (procession) in Delhi''s Jahangirpuri is extremely condemnable. Strict action should be taken against the guilty. Appeal to all - maintain peace and hold each other's other," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

Spoke to Hon’ble LG. He assured that all steps are being taken to ensure peace and that guilty will not be spared. https://t.co/AMXEatbsub — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 16, 2022

Meanwhile, overall security has been stepped up in all the remaining 14 police districts of the national capital and technical surveillance has also been mounted to ensure no untoward incident takes place.

Earlier in 2020, communal clashes had broken out in Northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control. The 2020 Delhi riots had left as many as 53 people dead and around 700 had sustained injuries.

(With agency inputs)