Hindu Sena chief meets Bagga’s father, asks Kejriwal, Punjab cops to apologise
NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Punjab Police must tender an apology for insulting the Sikh community, Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta said after meeting Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Bagga’s father here on Sunday. Gupta said the Punjab Police personnel thrashed Bagga’s father and did not allow Tajinder to wear his turban which is an insult to the Sikh community.
In dramatic developments, Bagga was arrested by Punjab Police from his home in Delhi on Friday, stopped in Haryana while being taken to Punjab and brought back to the national capital by Delhi Police hours later.
A non-bailable arrest warrant was also issued against the BJP leader by a Mohali court the next day. However, in a latenight relief, the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed the fresh arrest warrant against the Delhi BJP leader.
Gupta met Singh at their Janakpuri residence here and also assured of all possible help. “Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is using Punjab Police as a weapon to target those who stand against him or question him. Punjab Police came to arrest Bagga without seeking permission from the Delhi Police. They beat up his father and did not allow Tajinder to wear his turban.
“This is an insult to the Sikh community and Kejriwal and Punjab Police should apologise for this behaviour,” he said in a statement. Singh on Sunday claimed Kejriwal is scared of his son and is using the Punjab Police to intimidate the family.
He said the last few days have been very tough for them but they are “prepared to fight for the truth”.
Bagga thanks HC for staying his arrest
BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga on Sunday thanked the Punjab and Haryana high court along with Minorities Commission for staying his arrest at a midnight hearing till May 10, saying that the law still works in the country.
“I thank the Punjab and Haryana high court along with the Minorities Commission who showed yesterday that law still works in this country. The Minority Commission sent a notice to the Punjab government for not letting me wear my turban. In Sikhs, we can’t go out without a turban,” said Bagga in a self-made video.
Earlier this month, the Punjab Police registered a case against Bagga on charges of making provocative statements, promoting religious enmity, and criminal intimidation for targeting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal over his comments on ‘The Kashmir Files’.
AAP, BJP lock horns over Bagga’s arrest
Meanwhile, the political war of words continued on Sunday as AAP MLA Atishi accused the Delhi Police of “shielding BJP thugs and criminals” while ignoring rising crime in the national capital. Delhi Police maintained that it continues to be a “professional force” as it issued a point-wise rebuttal to AAP’S charges and noted that Delhi has seen a 12% reduction in murders over the last two years. The saffron party called Atishi’s allegations baseless, saying the crime rate in the Capital is among the lowest due to the “good patrolling by Delhi Police”
In an apparent reference to the inter-state tussle, senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram tweeted, “This was bound to happen someday. Punjab, Delhi and Haryana police confrontation is an example of what lies in store in the future. Police serving their respective political masters will lead to the ultimate breakdown of federalism that is already in peril.”
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said Atishi levelled “baseless allegations” against the Delhi Police and alleged that the AAP was misusing Punjab Police against their political opponents. “The world over, from New York to Moscow and London, Mumbai to Delhi, crimes do occur but we should note that the crime detection rate of Delhi Police is one of the best. Moreover, keeping in view that Delhi has a population of over two crore (20 million), the crime rate too is quite low due to good patrolling by Delhi Police,” said Kapoor.