AAP accused the BJP and its governments of protecting its "goon" who incited riots in Punjab, a day after Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was brought back to the capital after a high-voltage drama that drew in the police of three states and triggered a political slugfest.
However, Bagga will have to appear before the Punjab Police as “a very legitimate case” has been filed against him, sooner or later the party said, calling him “a serial offender and hate monger”.
The Delhi BJP leader was arrested by Punjab Police from his home here, stopped in Haryana while being taken to Punjab and brought back to the national capital by Delhi Police hours later.
The BJP has accused Punjab Police of "abducting" its leader, who has been vocal in his criticism of Arvind Kejriwal, and accused the AAP chief of pursuing vendetta through the state police.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, has rejected the charge and said Bagga was arrested for allegedly stoking communal tensions in Punjab.
The Delhi Police has registered a case of kidnapping based on a complaint by Bagga's father Pritpal Singh.
A day after, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted in Hindi, "The entire BJP and its governments are engaged in saving one of their goons who spoke against the brotherhood in Punjab and incited riots."
"The BJP is a party of goons which makes even its government do the job of goons. Never even by mistake, these people talk about education, health, inflation and unemployment," he alleged.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the BJP has proved its credentials of it being a party of “criminals, goons and vandals” by preventing Bagga's arrest.
“There is no doubt that he is a serial offender, a hate-monger and a fake news spreader but the way the BJP has misused the states' machinery to prevent his arrest only shows that it can go to any extent to protect such criminals,” he said.
And, the BJP calling the Punjab police action against Bagga a misuse of state machinery by the AAP sounds “like Osama Bin Laden talking about non-violence,” he added.
AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said Bagga will have to appear before the Punjab Police sooner or later as a very legitimate case has been filed against him.
“There is no force in the world, and no court in India, that can let an accused sit out of the investigation in a criminal case. Bagga will be required to participate in the process and he will have to cooperate with the Punjab Police,” Bharadwaj said.
The Delhi Police on Saturday said it will make necessary security arrangements for Bagga after the BJP leader expressed fear about his safety.
"Bagga expressed apprehension over his safety and security. We will do necessary security arrangements," a senior officer said.
The AAP had on Friday had claimed that Bagga was arrested from Delhi by the Punjab Police for trying to stoke communal tension and violence in the border state and rejected the BJP's charge of vendetta.
Though AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj referred to the clashes in Patiala on April 29, the Punjab Police had said it arrested the Delhi BJP leader from his residence in the capital in connection with a case registered in Mohali on April 1.
The April 1 FIR referred to Bagga's remarks on March 30, when he was part of a BJP youth wing protest outside the Delhi chief minister's residence.
The April 1 FIR was registered under relevant IPC sections, including 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place, etc.), 505 (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Bagga had come under fire from the AAP, which is ruling both in Delhi and Punjab, for his tweet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over 'The Kashmir Files' movie.
(with inputs from PTI)
