AAP office attackers arrested; Kejriwal says kill me if it solves Kashmir issue

Zee Media Bureau/Himanshu Kapoor

Ghaziabad: Within hours of the attack at Aam Aadmi Party`s Kaushambi office by around 40 activists, Ghaziabad Police on Wednesday arrested Hindu Raksha Dal leader Pinki Choudhary from Sahibabad area in connection with the incident. Another 12 attacker has been arrested from here in the same regard. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ran Vijay Singh told a group of reporters that the CCTV camera footage installed at the party`s office is being examined to identify other accused who were involved in the incident. Irked by AAP leader Prashant Bhushan`s remark that a referendum should be carried out in Kashmir to decide on deployment of the army to deal with security threats in the valley, Hindu Raksha Dal smashed glass doors, broke flower pots and tore party poster outside the office in the attack. Arrested Choudhary said that the attack was instigated by Bhushan`s remark as well as AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal`s recent remark on the Batla encounter. Choudhary also alleged that another AAP leader had made remarks against Hindu Gods which was not acceptable to them. Kejriwal condemned the attack on his party`s office and questioned the motives of the miscreants and asked what will be achieved by attacking him or Prashant Bhushan. The AAP chief also wondered if the attackers wanted to kill him and Prashant Bhushan over the Kashmir remark. "If the miscreants think by killing me the Kashmir issue can be resolved then tell me the place and time to kill me and I will go to that place," Kejriwal said strongly condemning the attack on the party office. AAP had distanced itself from Bhushan`s remark and the party leader also clarified that referendum on Kashmir is not endorsed by the AAP. Kejriwal also said that to keep the issue of Bhushan`s remark in the news and defame the party, its office was attacked. Kejriwal had earlier refused to take any security and raised several questions about the risks to his life. He today reiterated that his party will not reconsider the decision to refuse security after this morning`s attack.