Union Home Minister Amit Shah today called out Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s ambiguity over the ongoing Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi. Shah said that Kejriwal should clearly express if he is against or in favour of the Shaheen Bagh protests.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rithala, Delhi: Kejriwal ji are you in favor of action against Sharjeel Imam or not? Are you in favor of those at Shaheen Bagh or not? Make it clear to the people of Delhi. #DelhiElections https://t.co/ZXvrQAoN1e
— ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2020
Speaking at an election rally in Rithala,Delhi, Shah invoked Shaheen Bagh protest mastermind and the Wire columnist, Sharjeel Imam’s profoundly seditious argument against the territorial integrity of India.
“Imam talked about cutting-off Assam and the North-East from the rest of India. Modi government asked Delhi police to file a case of sedition against him. I want to ask Arvind Kejriwal, does he support action against Sharjeel Imam or not? Are you in support of those at Shaheen Bagh or not? Make it clear to the people of Delhi,” Shah thundered.
Read: Is Arvind Kejriwal beginning to panic about Shaheen Bagh?
“You (the AAP leaders) people say that you are with Shaheen Bagh. If you have the guts then go and sit with them. And let Delhi decide,” Shah said.
The remark from Shah comes after Arvind Kejriwal posted a tweet alleging that the BJP is responsible for the ongoing protests in Shaheen Bagh and does not want to resolve it. He also asked the BJP leaders to visit the venue and negotiate with the protesters who have been shouting anti-India slogans and promoting secessionist agenda.
Shortly afterwards, Kejriwal retorted back diplomatically stating that the remarks made by Sharjeel regarding Assam were of highly objectionable nature and being a Home Minister, Shah should have gotten arrested him immediately. Questioning Shah’s intentions, Kejriwal asked why Sharjeel was not arrested yet.
शरज़ील ने असम को देश से अलग करने की बात कही।ये बेहद गंभीर है।आप देश के गृह मंत्री हैं। आपका यह बयान निकृष्ट राजनीति है।आपका धर्म है कि आप उसे तुरंत गिरफ़्तार करें।उसे ये ऐसा कहे दो दिन हो गए। आप उसे गिरफ़्तार क्यों नहीं कर रहे? क्या मजबूरी है आपकी? या अभी और गंदी राजनीति करनी है? https://t.co/UTVv9noFVo
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 27, 2020
On Saturday January 25, 2020, a video of one of the co-organisers of Shaheen Bagh protest, Sharjeel Imam, had gone viral in which the Wire columnist made a clarion call to Muslims to organise and unite to cut-off Assam and the North-East from the rest of India. Sharjeel also unapologetically admitted in the video communal nature of the Shaheen Bagh protest.
Soon after Sharjeel’s video went viral, arrest warrant was issued against Sharjeel for making seditious and inflammatory speech. He is currently on the run even as the UP police is on the lookout.
Earlier, Deputy chief minister and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia declared his support for the protesters demonstrating at Shaheen Bagh. Speaking to the CNN News18 ahead of the 2020 Delhi elections, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia categorically stated that the Aam Aadmi Party stands with the protestors of Shaheen Bagh, Delhi.
The assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled to happen on February 8, 2020 while the election results are going to be declared on February 11, 2020.
