By Muslim Mirror Desk
New Delhi : Violence began soon after a BJP leader Kapil Mishra organised a pro-CAA rally close to northeast Delhi’s Jaffrabad where more than 200 women started a sit in protest on Sunday.
In a video released by him after the violence, Mishra can be heard threatening the anti-CAA protesters. He told The Indian Express he had to make the statements to “release pressure” building among the crowd.
दिल्ली पुलिस को तीन दिन का अल्टीमेटम – जाफराबाद और चांद बाग की सड़कें खाली करवाइए इसके बाद हमें मत समझाइयेगा , हम आपकी भी नहीं सुनेंगे, सिर्फ तीन दिन@DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/9ozTazMZew
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) February 23, 2020
The BJP leader gathered along with supporters next to the Maujpur-Babarpur Metro Station, 2 km from the Jaffrabad anti-CAA protest, in the afternoon. As the crowd swelled to more than 200, he could be heard raising slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram”. People responded with slogans of “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko”.
According to locals, the former MLA left between 4-4.30 pm, an hour and a half after he had arrived. The violence began almost immediately after, with a group of people seen running from the Jaffrabad side towards Babarpur. As stone-pelting erupted from both sides, more locals gathered and violence spread towards the interiors of Babarpur. Teargas shells were used by police to disperse the crowd, whose numbers rose to more than 500.
Mishra later tweeted, “We have given a three-day ultimatum to the Delhi Police to get the road cleared. Get the Jafrabad and Chandbagh (where another sit-in protest is underway) road cleared”. He also put out a video of his speech at the pro-CAA gathering, where he said, “They (the protesters) want to create trouble in Delhi. That’s why they have closed the roads. That’s why they have created a riot-like situation here. We have not pelted any stones. Till the US President is in India, we are leaving the area peacefully. After that we won’t listen to you (police) if the roads are not vacated.” DCP (North East) Ved Prakash Surya is standing next to him as he makes the speech.
People broke portions of boundary walls to use stones for pelting. A supporter of the anti-CAA protest was dragged and beaten up close to a barricade before he was rescued by police.
Security personnel were seen pelting stones along with CAA supporters at the other side. Police refused to respond to questions regarding this. With Indian Express inputs.