Delhi election: Arvind Kejriwal took a swipe at the opposition over the anti-CAA protest
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today targeted the opposition BJP in the national capital over insinuations that his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has not been doing enough to stop violence over the amended Citizenship Act.
"These violent protests are happening due to the upcoming elections (in Delhi). Those who fear losing are doing this. I want to appeal to the people of Delhi to maintain peace. The whole country knows who is capable of causing riots," Mr Kejriwal told reporters today.
"The opposition is saying that the AAP is making these happen. Why would AAP do this? The opposition is spreading violence on purpose to win election. The AAP is not going to benefit from this. The opposition thinks they will benefit from this. But the people of Delhi are very smart," said the national convenor of the party whose massive win in the last election in Delhi ended the Congress's long rule in the national capital. The BJP won only three seats in the 70-member assembly in 2015.
Fresh violence broke out in east Delhi yesterday as hundreds marched on the streets in protest against the new law that fast-tracks the process of citizenship for persecuted non-Muslim religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Buses were burnt and protesters clashed with the police near Jamia Millia Islamia University in south Delhi on Sunday. As the protest spread to other colleges and universities across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked people to debate in a civil way and not to use violent means.
The election in Delhi is due early next year. It will be a major test for Mr Kejriwal, whose relatively new party hasn't seen much success in the national elections in 2014 and 2019, despite its top performance in the Delhi election in 2015.
The BJP is banking on PM Modi's election-winning formula to take Delhi.
With inputs from PTI