Everybody knows for whose benefit people are protesting at Shaheen Bagh: AAP jabs BJP

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj, while taking a jibe at the BJP, said that everybody knows for whose benefit people are on a sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh. He said the saffron party has designed their entire Delhi poll campaign around the agitation.

New Delhi: Taking a veiled jibe at the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said that everybody knows for whose benefit people are on a sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh, adding the ruling party at the Centre has designed their entire Delhi poll campaign around the agitation.

"Narendra Modi himself said that Muslim women are his fans as he abolished triple talaq. If his fan following is sitting on protests then they should have removed them from there after talking to them," AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told media.

"The police should have taken the action by now. The police are not taking action and it is being made a poll issue. Now, everybody understands who directed them to sit there and for whose benefit they are sitting there," he added.

Bhardwaj, who is contesting Delhi polls from Greater Kailash Assembly seat, continued: "Who wants to take poll benefit out of this? It is BJP. Their whole campaign is based on Shaheen Bagh. BJP has made an issue out of Shaheen Bagh. Is it possible for someone to block a road?"

Shaheen Bagh agitation has been ongoing for over 50 days now, with a large number of women sitting on protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Population Register (NPR) and proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first rally on Monday said there was a "political design" behind anti-CAA protests including in the city's Shaheen Bagh.

AAP leader Raghav Chadha expressed confidence that his party is sweeping the Assembly polls, for which voting will be held on February 8.

"I think we are going to perform better than 2015 polls. This election is being fought on performance. Congress is irrelevant in Delhi politics. People say voting for Congress is like wasting a vote. Our fight is with BJP which is too far behind us. But they don't have the vision and a leader to take on Arvind Kejriwal," he said.

Commenting on BJP MP Parvesh Verma's "terrorist" remark on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Chadha said: "They called Arvind Kejriwal and all of us Naxals during 2015 polls. Today he called Kejriwal a terrorist. Does this type of language suit leaders? Can we call a man terrorist who reformed education in government schools, started Mohalla clinics, announced free electricity and the water? He dedicated his entire life to the country."

When asked to comment on Shaheen Bagh protest, the AAP leader said: "Elections are fought on local issues. People will vote on quality education, healthcare and better public transport."

Voting on 70 Assembly seats of Delhi will be held on February 8 and the counting will take place on February 11.

(ANI)