Tiwari to leave if NRC brought to Delhi: Kejriwal
Political heat in New Delhi turned up on Wednesday after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bharatiya Janata Party's Manoj Tiwari indulged in a war of words over National Register of Citizens (NRC). Earlier in the day, Kejriwal, taking a swipe at Tiwari, said he will have to leave Delhi if NRC is implemented. Tiwari quickly slammed the AAP leader for his "mentality".
Tiwari blamed infiltrators for attack on scribe
It all began when Bihar-born Tiwari, who represents North East Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha, renewed his demand for an Assam-like NRC in the national capital after a journalist was attacked at CR Park. He said "infiltrators" were responsible for the condemnable attack. Asked for a comment, Kejriwal said, "If NRC is implemented then Manoj Tiwari will be the first one who will have to leave Delhi."
Here's what Kejriwal said
Are migrants foreigners according to you: Tiwari asked Kejriwal
Slamming Kejriwal, Tiwari said with the statement he has targeted migrants from Bihar, West Bengal, and other parts of the country. "People who have migrated from other states are considered as foreigners by you? You want to chase them out from Delhi, you're one among them," Tiwari reportedly said. Claiming Delhi's CM has lost "mental stability", he wondered how can an IRS not know what NRC is.
BJP members don't stoop so low, claimed Tiwari
Tiwari also criticized the "unparliamentary" language used by Kejriwal. "He has time and again attacked me personally. This shows his values and character. It is not BJP's character to stoop so low," Tiwari went on.
Separately, several BJP leaders supported Tiwari, slammed Kejriwal
As the row raged, other BJP leaders rallied behind their party colleague. Ramesh Bidhuri said, "Just like his former minister Jitendra Tomar, I suspect Kejriwal's degree that made him IRS too is a fake one. Did he not know what NRC is." He added Kejriwal only cared about votes. Meanwhile, Kapil Mishra said some don't understand that 'N' in NRC stands for national.
The comments are shameful: Mishra
Before 2020 polls, Kejriwal's words might return to haunt him
The call for NRC in Delhi holds significance in the context of 2020 Delhi Assembly polls. If reports are to be believed, BJP plans to target Kejriwal over this and ask him if he wants people from other states to leave. "Is Kejriwal trying to say that Biharis or Harayanavis have no space in Delhi?" a senior party member told ANI.
In Assam, over 19 lakh were excluded from NRC
Coming to Assam's NRC, its final list was published last month after a tedious exercise which took months. Over 19 lakh people were left out, and they will have a chance to appeal against their exclusion at relevant centers. Meanwhile, after Assam NRC, several NDA leaders in Maharashtra and Haryana have demanded that a similar process should be carried out in their states.
