BJP takes to streets against Kejriwal for NRC comments

New Delhi: Hundreds of Purvanchal Morcha workers belonging to the Delhi BJP, on Thursday, staged a protest near chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence demanding an apology from him for his remark against party president Manoj Tiwari.

Taking a swipe at Mr Tiwari, Mr Kejriwal, on Wednesday, had said that if the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is implemented, the BJP leader will have to first leave the city.

President of Delhi BJP Poorvanchal Morcha Manish Singh said that Mr Kejriwal has humiliated not only the Purvanchalis but other people from different states who live in the city by saying that Mr Tiwari will be the first one to be evicted if NRC is implemented.

“Mr Kejriwal should apologise not only to Manoj Tiwari but also to the Poorvanchalis and the people of other states. We want to tell him that it is he who will be removed from the Delhi government after the Assembly polls,” Mr Singh added.

A large number of protesters dismantled a barricade and tried to move forward towards Mr Kejriwal’s residence at Civil Lines, but were detained by the police.

The Delhi BJP leaders also lodged a police complaint against the chief minister for his statement. The complaint was filed by former MLA Kapil Mishra and the Delhi BJP head of the media relation department, Neelkant Bakshi.

Mr Tiwari, who hails from Bihar, has been demanding implementation of NRC in Delhi to identify and evict Bangladeshis and Rohingyas illegally living in Delhi. Mr Singh said that Mr Kejriwal’s statement aimed at Mr Tiwari also hinted that he was deliberately confusing the issue of illegal migrants living in Delhi.

“If Kejriwal thinks that Mr Tiwari, being a Bihari, is liable to be evicted under the NRC exercise, then he must also be ready for eviction since he belongs to Haryana,” he added.

Mr Singh said that the Poorvanchal Morcha will continue its protest against Mr Kejriwal if he does not apologise.