New Delhi: Attacking the central government over the recent violence in the northeast district of Delhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar held the government solely responsible for the mayhem.
The NCP chief accused the ruling BJP of playing divisive politics in the national capital as the party lost the recent-held assembly elections to Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Pawar was addressing a convention of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Mumbai on Sunday (March 1) when he made these claims. He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's over their speeches in the run-up to the Delhi election.
He claimed that the electoral campaign of Modi, Shah and other Cabinet ministers was aimed towards creating a rift in the society and disrupting peace in the national capital. He also stated that he was stunned when PM Modi during his speech said that protesters can be identified with their clothes. "The prime minister of a country belongs to all the religions, people and states. He belongs to the entire country. The person in such post indirectly making statements (aimed at) creating a religious discord (in his poll speech) is a worrisome thing," PTI quoted him saying.
"As per the Constitution, public representatives and the ruling party are not responsible for the law and order situation in Delhi. That responsibility lies with the Union government. Hence whatever is happening in Delhi, its 100% responsibility lies with the Union government, as it is responsible for law and order," Pawar said.
"The national capital has been burning since the last few days. The ruling party at the Centre could not win the Delhi Assembly polls and tried to divide the society by promoting communalism," he said.
Quoting the controversial 'Goli Maro...' statement, the veteran leader claimed that some BJP ministers were trying to terrorise a section of the society.
Kejriwal's AAP swept the Delhi Assembly election with a whopping majority of 62 out of 70 seats. The remaining eight seats were bagged by BJP, while the Congress scored a duck.
Speaking of the Delhi violence, clashes erupted on February 23, in Jafrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Chand Bagh, Shiv Vihar, Bhajan Pura, Yamuna Vihar and Mustafabad areas of northeast Delhi, which claimed at least 46 lives so far and left over 300 injured.
(With PTI inputs)
