'Political Protection To Tahir Hussain': BJP Attacks Kejriwal After Court Verdict In 2020 Delhi Riots Case

After Tahir Hussain's conviction in the Ankit Sharma murder case, BJP demanded apologies from Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leaders, accusing them of political protection and inflammatory politics.

Tahir Hussain convicted by Delhi court in the 2020 Ankit Sharma murder case.

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• BJP alleges Kejriwal provided protection, Congress incited violence.

New Delhi: A day after former AAP councilor Tahir Hussain was convicted in the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, the BJP on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, demanding an apology from him.

The saffron party also targeted the Congress, blaming its party leaders for the 2020 Delhi riots, and demanded an "unconditional apology" from Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, alleging that they indulged in "vulture politics" and "appeasement politics" instead of standing by the family of the slain intelligence officer.

A Delhi court on Monday convicted Hussain and 4 others in the Ankit Sharma murder case.

Hussain was an AAP councillor at the time of the incident but was later suspended by the party when his name surfaced in the case.

Welcoming the Court's verdict, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said it was, "a victory of the Constitution, law, justice and the people".

The verdict ensures that rule of law will prevail in India and that the accused will have to face the might of law, regardless of how influential or well-connected they are, he said.

The verdict also provides the "healing touch" that the victim's family and the society needed, Bhatia added.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Bhatia alleged, "The biggest culprit here is Arvind Kejriwal on whose behest this happened. Attempts were made to cover up the case and political protection was given to Tahir Hussain. After he was arrested, Kejriwal went into hiding and did not utter a word." Hussain's "ties" with Kejriwal remain intact even today, the BJP leader alleged, adding that the AAP chief continues to provide him "political protection".

Targeting the Congress, Bhatia alleged, "Sonia Gandhi is equally culpable. as is Rahul Gandhi. After the CAA was passed by Parliament, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi created an atmosphere of confusion by claiming that Muslims would lose their citizenship with its implementation." "When a conspiracy was being hatched for the riots, Sonia Gandhi said 'ya aar paar ki ladai hai' (it's a do-or-die battle). When a senior leader makes such a provocative statement through a religious lens and a riots follow, Sonia Gandhi must bear responsibility for it," he alleged.

Bhatia demanded that Kejriwal apologise to the country and people of Delhi for standing by Hussain.

"Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should also withdraw their earlier statements and issue unconditional apologies. And leaders like Amanatullah Khan (AAP), Imran Masood (Congress), who tried to incite people on the basis of religion, should be expelled from their parties immediately," he added. 

(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)