Mumbai, Jan 12: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (BJP-RSS) for the January 1 Bhima-Koregaon violence in Maharashtra. Kejriwal also alleged that instigating caste-based riots is the saffron party’s creed.
“The BJP-RSS (supporters) attacked Dalits at Koregaon Bhima, leading to caste tensions. We condemn this,” the Delhi chief minister said, adding, “To instigate riots, on the basis of caste and religion, and rule is the BJP’s creed.”
The Delhi CM also criticised the BJP-led Maharashtra government for flourishing at the cost of the government schools. He said that a government which cannot run schools in Maharashtra have no right to rule over the state. (Also Read: Shiv Sena Attacks Devendra Fadnavis Government Over Bhima Koregaon Violence)
Saying that Maratha king Shivaji had worked to achieve an all-inclusive society, Kejriwal said that the saffron party’s rule in Maharashtra had crushed the dreams of Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule and Shivaji.
Speaking of the Aam Aadmi Party‘s works in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Only the poor used to send their children to the government schools then. In three years, we have started 300 new state-of-the-art government schools with modern amenities.” (Also Read: 16 FIRs Filed in Mumbai, Over 300 People Detained During Maharashtra Bandh)
“The Delhi government’s budget is Rs 40,000 crore and still we managed to repair the schools and start new ones. The Maharashtra government’s budget is Rs 3 lakh crore and still it is shutting down the government schools,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal paid homage to Jijabai, the mother of warrior king Shivaji, on her birth anniversary and addressed a public meeting at Sindhkhedraja in Buldhana district of Maharashtra.
Protests had erupted across Maharashtra a day after caste-based violence during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune. Some pro-Hindutva leaders had also opposed the anniversary celebrations of the Bhima Koregaon battle.