AAP slams BJP after internet at borders snapped

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the Central government imposed a mobile internet shutdown in and around Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, where large groups of farmers have been protesting against three contentious farm laws passed in September last year.

The AAP also claimed that the BJP “scripted” the January 26 tractor rally violence and the clash that happened at the Singhu protest site on Friday, while demanding an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The BJP was quick to dismiss the allegations as “baseless” and hit back at the AAP calling the party “anarchist”.

“The BJP scripted the violence that happened during the tractor rally on January 26 to malign the peaceful protest of farmers. Yesterday, BJP goons attacked the farmers at Singhu and Tikri borders; they were not local residents. Today, they shut down the internet at all the protest sites. They have been calling the protesting farmers anti-national since the Day One of the protest. The NIA should probe the role of BJP leaders involved in the violence,” said the AAP’S spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj.

AAP’S spokesperson Raghav Chadha added, “The BJP is trying to crush the farmer’s agitation and their role in the January 26 violence stands exposed. Safety and security of the protesting farmers have become a major issue now. It is more concerning because the police in Delhi is also under the BJP government.”

Delhi-bjp general secretary Harsh Malhotra, however, countered the claims by saying, “The AAP has proved that they are a party of anarchists. The farmers’ protest has been disturbing normal lives and livelihood of people living in the vicinity not for a few days but for around 70 days. It is sad that the AAP leaders can’t see their pain. They are also questioning the police, despite many police officers being injured after violence linked to the farmer protests. Their allegations are baseless. No BJP supporter or worker was involved in any violence or any protest against the farmer groups. It is the supporters of the AAP who are instigating violence and there is ample evidence on public domain that exposes them.”