Javadekar calls Kejriwal a terrorist'

NEW DELHI: Even as the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday reached out to families of four martyrs who vouched for the Delhi chief minister’s patriotism, Union minister Prakash Javadekar hit out at Arvind Kejriwal saying that he called himself an “anarchist” and there was not much of a “difference between an anarchist and a terrorist”. Ramping up his attack on the AAP supremo, Uttar Pradesh chief minister said his counterpart in Delhi has become a “toy in the hands of anti-social and anti-India elements”.

The Election Commission has already issued a show-cause notice to BJP MP Parvesh Verma for allegedly calling Mr Kejriwal a “terrorist”. In an attempt to turn around Mr Verma’s “Kejriwal is a terrorist” narrative, relatives of some Delhi police officers, a fire-fighter and an assistant sub-inspector questioned how the saffron parliamentarian could call the AAP convenor a terrorist when he has been serving India selflessly. The video was posted on Twitter by the chief minister himself, who urged people to listen to what the family members of slain officers had to say.

Lauding the Delhi government for giving “Rs 1 crore aid” to the kin of martyrs, the members in a three-minute video said that their financial condition has improved after the monetary help. “Whatever
worries we had after our son passed away, were taken care of by the government in the national capital,” an elderly couple said.

Another relative said, “No government can think about how the life of such families could change by extending a helping hand.” His statement is then seconded by the kin of another martyr, who says that Mr Kejriwal is a simple man who works selflessly for people.

Recently, Mr Kejriwal had held a press conference over BJP MP’s remark, asking if a person becomes terrorist by helping the poor and fighting against corruption. The chief minister added that Delhi residents should now decide “whether they consider me their son, brother or antankwadi”.

On Monday, Mr Javadekar raked up the issue of Mr Kejriwal “staying a night at the Moga residence of Khalistan Commando Force chief Gurinder Singh during Punjab Assembly polls”. “You knew it was a militant’s house. Still you stayed there. How much more evidence do you need?” he said.  

The BJP leader said, “Kejriwal is now asking with a sad face, ‘Am I a terrorist?’ You are a terrorist and there is a lot of evidence to prove that. You yourself had said you are an anarchist. There is not much of a difference between an anarchist and a terrorist.”

Flanked by Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and Union minister Anurag Thakur, Mr Javadekar told reporters that the AAP was supporting Shaheen Bagh, where slogans of “Assam ko azadi”, “Jinnah wali azadi” were being raised. “Supporting such slogans is also terrorism.”

Mr Javadekar alleged that the chief minister stood with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where “anti-India slogans were raised, and did not grant sanction to prosecute (those who raised the slogans)”.

At an election rally in Uttam Nagar, Mr Adityanath said Mr Kejriwal has played with the emotions of the people of Delhi for the last five years. “He obstructed the development of Delhi. And knowingly and unknowingly, he became a toy in the hands of anti-social and anti-India elements,” he said. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister also slammed Mr Kejriwal for “sympathising” with those who raised anti-India slogans in JNU.