Congress, AAP flay Malhotra for ‘Jamia remark’

Slamming BJP leader V. K. Malhotra for his statement that “Jamia Nagar and Batla House areas in South Delhi were the hub of terrorists”, the Congress on Wednesday demanded that a criminal case be registered against the former BJP MP.

Blaming the BJP leaders of trying to foment social unrest in the Capital, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh said: “To call any particular community as terrorists was not only unethical, but is also a crime. A criminal case should be filed against Prof. Malhotra for his unlawful statement. His offensive statement is testimony to the political agenda of the BJP.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday over the arrest of suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists in Rajasthan, Prof. Malhotra had said: “The police are not able to go for search operation in areas like Jamia Nagar which are the centre of terrorists”.

“After the interrogation of Pakistani terrorist Waqas the police got vital information. When the police reached Batla House and Jamia in Okhla area on the basis of this information and arrested two youth for interrogation, the supporters of the terrorists created affray,” Prof. Malhotra had said.

Seeking an apology from the BJP leader, Delhi Congress spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said party workers led by Mr. Singh “will gherao Prof. Malhotra and other BJP leaders if he refuses to apologise for his irresponsible statement”.

AAP registers complaint

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday registered a complaint with the Election Commission of India against V. K. Malhotra for his “inflammatory” remark.

Alleging that the statement of Prof. Malhotra is also a violation of the model code of conduct, the AAP in its complaint to the Election Commission asserted that “such an inflammatory statement linking particular areas with terrorism has been made with a clear design to project a particular community in a bad light”.

“Prof. Malhotra’s statement constitutes a criminal offence and the AAP requests the EC to direct the authorities concerned to register a criminal case against him under section-153 of the IPC,” the complaint said.