NEW DELHI: Members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) allegedly vandalised property outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, triggering a fierce exchange of words between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party.
The protestors, led by BJP Yuva Morcha national president and MP Tejasvi Surya, were holding a demonstration against Kejriwal's remarks on the recently released movie 'The Kashmir Files'. BJP leaders have been accusing the CM of mocking the "genocide" of Kashmiri Hindus, depicted in the film.
Soon after the attack, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted, "Anti-social elements attacked the house of CM Arvind Kejriwal. They broke the CCTV cameras and security barriers. The boom barriers on the gate have also been broken."
At a press conference later, Sisodia alleged that the incident was "a pre-orchestrated plan of the BJP to murder the CM since the the ruling party at the Centre failed to defeat Arvind Kejriwal (in recent Punjab Assembly elections)".
AAP leaders accused Delhi Police of facilitating the vandalism and violence by allowing BJP leaders and workers to reach the CM's house.
However, police denied the charge and said 70 were detained. A case has been registered against unidentified persons under various IPC sections. The BJP accused AAP of scripting a drama and playing the"victim card" to deflect the "public anger" against Kejriwal's remarks "mocking" displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
The BJP youth wing's national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga said the workers and leaders staged a protest near Kejriwal’s residence but did not resort to vandalism. "We were stopped by police and around 20-25 of our members and leaders, including Tejasvi Surya, were detained and taken to a police station," he said.
The AAP later released a 'raw CCTV footage' that showed around two dozen men walking up to the gate and knocking down a security barrier. Some were seen trying to jump through security cordon.