delhi

Updated: Jun 29, 2017 23:54 IST

The recent lynching incidents in the country, especially the Ballabhgarh case in which 16-year-old Junaid Khan was killed and three others injured, dominated the Thursday discussion at the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

Delhi Assembly passed a resolution urging people to “uphold the Constitution in letter and spirit” and condemn incidents of lynching in the name of “Gau Raksha.” The BJP insisted that the House pass a resolution stating that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. The AAP leaders accused the saffron party of trying to divert attention from the real issue.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said, “The BJP can only see cow in people’s fridge and their plates. Why can’t they see cow’s roaming in the streets of Delhi, eating poly bags and meeting with accidents? Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes abroad and hugs several people who eat beef but in India those who eat beef will be killed?” Sisodia said.

Hitting out at cow vigilantes, AAP leader Alka Lamba said, “There have been reports of the so-called Gau Rakshaks eating beef and even BJP minister Kiren Rijiju does so. BJP leaders have said that they will not ban beef in poll bound north-eastern states like Nagaland for vote bank. This is greatest form of hypocrisy”

“When we ask from PM to take action all he says this is country of Mahatma Gandhi. Why can’t he assure safety of minorities,” she added.

Around two-hours of the second-half of Delhi assembly session dominated around this issue with AAP leaders targeting PM Narendra Modi of inaction and double standards and condemned “the mindless violence being unleashed across the country in the name of religion.”

Suspended AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan said, “Why is the loyalty of one community being questioned? Did they commit any mistake by not going to Pakistan after partition?”

During Sisodia’s speech, tempers ran high and there were dramatic exchanges between AAP MLAs and BJP legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa over Kashmir.

Sirsa asked AAP MLAs to pass a resolution stating that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, even as AAP leaders accused him of trying to divert attention from the issue.

Seeing this, speaker Ram Niwas Goel intervened and said, “Why no one talks about the part of Kashmir that is still with Pakistan? The government allows 42% of import from China but spends time with talks of Swadeshi. I have also served the RSS for 40 years. But today I am pained. Hedgewar or Guru Golwalker would not have thought of what is happening today. Mansarovar yatra has been stopped, China is staring down at us and we talk of patriotism.”

“I pass this resolution that Kashmir is integral part of India,” he added.