NEW DELHI: The venom of hate mongering which was spilled during the Delhi poll campaigning continues to spread in the national capital. Only the slogans have become more chilling, dangerous, and they have come closer.
Inside Rajiv Chowk Metro station on Saturday, some opposing and targeting those protesting against the Citizenship Amen-dment Act began shouting, “Desh ke gaddaor ko, goli maro saron ko (Kill all the traitors). During Delhi polls, Union minister Anurag Thakur and his men had raised the slogan, “Goli maro saalo ko.” “Saalo ko” has now been changed to “saron (all) ko.”
Six men, wearing saffron T-shirts and kurta, started the sloganeering when a train was about to halt at the Metro station on Saturday. After deboarding the train, they continued chanting pro-CAA and provocative slogans like “Shoot all the traitors”.
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, responsible for the security of the Delhi Metro, intercepted the protesters and handed them over to the Delhi Police.
While some commuters joined the CAA supporters in their sloganeering, others were quick to get their cameras out to make videos. Many at the station were seemingly taken aback by the spontaneity and the unusual choice of the venue.
"On Saturday, at about 10:25 hours, six youths were seen shouting slogans at Rajiv Chowk metro station, Delhi. They were immediately intercepted by CISF personnel & thereafter handed over to Delhi Metro Rail Police officials for further action. Metro Rail operation remained," the CISF said in a statement.
A senior CISF official said the youths were raising pro-CAA slogans. DCP (Metro) Vikram Porwal said, "We have detained six men and they are being questioned".
A video of the sloganeering has gone viral on social media. Anuj Dayal, Executive Director, Corporate Communications of DMRC, said, "In reference to a video clip going viral on social media, showing sloganeering by some passengers at Rajiv Chowk Metro station, it is to state that this incident happened today morning at the station and DMRC/CISF staff immediately handed them over to the Delhi Metro Rail Police for further necessary action."
Under Delhi Metro (Operation and Maintenance) Act 2002, any kind of demonstration or nuisance is prohibited in Delhi metro premises. Any passenger indulging in such act is
liable to be removed from the Metro premises, according to the Act.
Incidentally, there was a "peace march" organised at the Jantar Mantar against "jihadi terrorism" in northeast Delhi, which was also attended by BJP leader Kapil Mishra who had allegedly made provocative statements on Sunday before the riots broke out in the national capital this week.
The men who were detained were found to be students, and had no criminal antecedents. They were released after due verification, said DCP (Metro) Vikram Porwal.
