Anti-CAA protests: BJP's new arsenal for Delhi polls

Indicating that the BJP is going to make Citizenship Amendment Act a key poll plank in Delhi polls, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday put the blame squarely on Congress and AAP for the violence that happened on CAA in Delhi.

BJP President Amit Shah, who had last week accused the Opposition of having spoilt the peaceful atmosphere of Delhi and asked Delhi voters to “punish those who disturbed the peace” of the city, will hold interaction with all both workers on January 5.

BJP has made deep inroads among middle-class voters of Delhi, who are the first to be directed affected during such agitations.

Addressing a press conference from the podium of Delhi state BJP, Javadekar, taking names of Muslim leaders and members of Congress and AAP from the protest localities on Jamia Nagar, Seelampur and Jama Maszid locality also highlighted that both the parties are not condemning violence and are refraining from blaming anybody.

“Both parties are silent. People have seen that people belonging to these parties are trying to provoke people.

“Everybody has seen the incidents that have happened near Jamia, Seelampur and Jama Masjid. There are allegations on Asif Khan of Congress and Amnatullah Khan of AAP of provoking the people while from Seelampur it is Matin Ahmad of Congress and Ishara Khan and Abdul Rahman of AAP and Mehmood Pracha in Jama Masjid area. We cannot forgive them for what happened in Jamia, Seelampur and Jama Masjid. I also told you names,” Javadekar said.

He also accused both parties of spreading confusion in the whole country that the citizenship of Muslims is being snatched.

“In a peaceful city like Delhi, an atmosphere of chaos was created by creating confusion in the mind of the minorities on CAA and public property was damaged. Congress and AAP are totally responsible for it and they should seek apology for this,” Javadekar said.

BJP, which is yet to declare its CM face for the state polls, also evaded a direct reply on the matter with Javadekar saying the party takes “right decision at right time”. Polls in Delhi will take place within next three months. Actor turned politician Manoj Tiwari is BJP state chief but the party has stopped short of projecting him as the face of the election.

Clearly the party is seeking to contest the election with the help of an anti-Arvind Kejriwal campaign and the persona of Narendra Modi. The anti-CAA protests in Delhi is the latest arsenal in the BJP’s kitty for Delhi polls.

Calling the Delhi polls a contest of "nationalism versus anarchy" Javadekar, the Delhi BJP in-charge for the Assembly polls said the party will contest elections on a positive note highlighting the Modi government's works in Delhi. He also highlighted in a big way the recent decision of the central government to provide property ownership right to 40 lakh residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi and free hold rights to 10 lakh shopkeepers.