The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged on Thursday that the BJP-led dispensation at the Centre did not have any intention to put an end to the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protest at Shaheen Bagh here, saying “it suits the government in pursuing its polarising agenda”.
“The Delhi Police is under the Central government and they do not want to solve the Shaheen Bagh protest. They want to polarise the society as it helps their politics,” AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh told The Hindu. He also said that the BJP wanted to divert the attention from real issues such as unemployment and poor financial situation of the country using the CAA.
AAP also hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying he should decide whether he stood for justice or in support of rapists.
“If the Narendra Modi government was serious about ending the Shaheen Bagh protest, it would have followed up on the assurance given by its law minister on taking the path of dialogue and honest engagement with the anti-CAA protesters. It suits the Modi government that the protest continues because it indirectly helps it in pursuing its agenda of polarisation,” Mr. Singh said at Aligarh Muslim University here, earlier in the day.
‘Prejudiced mind’
He alleged that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statements showed “his prejudiced mind” against the AMU. “The Chief Minister seems to be totally unaware of the AMU’s contribution to the country and his outburst is a result of this ignorance,” Mr. Singh said, adding that the utterances of Mr. Adityanath suggested that “he is losing his mental balance”.
Mr. Adityanath defended the State police on Wednesday over the deaths of anti-CAA protesters, saying they were shot by other rioters and nothing could be done to save someone with a “death wish”. Wrapping up the discussion on the Governor’s address in the State Assembly, he said the role of the police in dealing with rioters during the CAA protests should be appreciated.
Mr. Adityanath said his government supported democratic protests but would maintain law and order by dealing strictly with those indulging in violence.
Mr. Singh alleged that instead of focusing on good governance and improving law and order in the State, Mr. Adityanath was trying to divert the attention of the public. Under Mr. Adityanath, U.P. was becoming notorious for “rapists”, he said.. He denied that his party was strategically tilting towards a “soft Hindutva” policy to present itself as a national alternative to the ruling BJP.
Referring to the AAP government’s policy on the NPR, he said, “We are looking into certain additional information that is being sought this time under the revised format.”
(With inputs from
Nikhil M Babu)