Facing flak for his speech during a gathering in favour of CAA at Maujpur Chowk in northeast Delhi, BJP leader Kapil Mishra remained defiant on Tuesday saying he was not scared of the “massive hate campaign” against him for “speaking truth” and supporting the amended citizenship law.
Mr. Mishra, a former AAP MLA who unsuccessfully contested the recent Assembly polls on a BJP ticket from Model Town, led a gathering in support of the CAA at Maujpur Chowk in Jafarabad area on Sunday, after which violence erupted between pro- and anti-CAA groups.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Mr. Mishra said that he was being abused and issued “death threats” and stressed that he did not commit any crime by supporting the amended citizenship law.
“I have received calls by many to kill me. Many people including politicians and journalists are abusing me. But, I am not scared because I have not done anything wrong,” Mishra told PTI .
BJP’s East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday supported strict action against anyone, including Mr. Mishra, if they gave “provocative” speeches.
“Whoever, no matter which party he belongs to, whether he is Kapil Mishra or anyone else, who gave speeches to provoke people, action should be taken against them,” Mr. Gambhir told reporters after visiting injured police officers admitted at Max hospital in Patparganj.
During his pro-CAA demonstration at Maujpur Chow, Mr. Mishra had also issued an ultimatum to police to vacate the roads blocked by anti-CAA protesters in Jafarabad and Bhahanpura areas in three days, warning that he will come back on the streets if no action was taken.
Mr. Mishra also attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who held a meeting with MLAs of violence hit areas in north east Delhi on Tuesday.
“Why did you not appeal in your speech to open the blocked roads in Delhi? Being the Chief Minister, you should immediately appeal for opening of roads. Why are you saving rioters blocking the road?” Mr. Mishra alleged in a tweet.
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari appealed to all the BJP leaders to do everything possible to establish peace in Delhi.
“No leader should do such a thing that causes confusion and sends a wrong message among the people. Everyone should refrain from making inflammatory statements,” Mr. Tiwari said in a statement.
Mr. Mishra, however, received support from some BJP leaders including party MLA and former Delhi president Vijender Gupta who tweeted: “Some friends in media and so-called intellectuals are saying that Kapil Mishra is responsible for violence in Delhi, while they keep mum on statements on those like Waris Pathan. They do not want to stop violence, but are sharpening their agenda in the fire of violence.”
Mr. Pathan is an AIMIM leader.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinderpal Singh Bagga also tweeted in support of Mr. Mishra.
Without naming Kapil Mishra, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the violence was a result of “incitement by a former MLA and BJP leader” and it cannot be termed as communal riot.
“I believe that this whole thing cannot be called a communal riot. It started because an ex-MLA of BJP stood shoulder to shoulder with a DCP and openly gave an ultimatum,” he alleged in his interaction with mediapersons in Hyderabad.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, blaming Kapil Mishra for the violence in northeast Delhi.
A petition before the high court related to the violence in northeast Delhi accused Kapil Mishra and other BJP leaders of making hate speeches and inciting violence, and has sought action against them.
