assembly-elections

Updated: Sep 03, 2020 02:48 IST

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been repeatedly attacked by top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders over the continuing protests over the amended citizenship law at the city’s Shaheen Bagh, sought to lob the ball back at the BJP. In a tweet minutes after law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad mounted another attack at the Aam Aadmi Party boss, Kejriwal blamed the BJP for the continuing protests that had blocked an entry point into Delhi.

“People are being inconvenienced due to the road blocked at Shaheen Bagh. BJP doesn’t want the road to be opened,” Kejriwal tweeted on Monday, accusing the BJP of practising “dirty politics”.

Kejriwal also came up with a suggestion for the BJP.

“BJP leaders should immediately go to Shaheen Bagh and talk to them (protesters) and get the road reopened,” Kejriwal said, tweeting his response soon after Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned his silence.

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Aam Aadmi Party leaders have over the last few days underlined that it was the job of the traffic police to get blocked roads in Delhi reopened. The police in Delhi does not report to the elected government but to the BJP-led central government via its nominee Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

AAP leaders have alleged that the police, under directions from the BJP government at the Centre, had not even tried to engage the protesters to end the protests because there was an effort to build a narrative on communal lines. Shaheen Bagh is at the centre of this effort, a senior AAP leader said.

Protests at Shaheen Bagh started last month shortly after Parliament enacted the law to expedite citizenship request from undocumented migrants of six religions from three Muslim-majority neighbouring countries.

It has led to closure of Road No 13A which connects Delhi to Noida that has inconvenienced people travelling to the national capital. Delhi Police has tweeted appeals to the protesters to disperse but they have not budged, insisting that they would stay put till the government withdraws the contentious provision in the citizenship law.