On Monday, Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that the Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi have emerged as "a textbook case of a few hundred people trying to suppress the silent majority".
He claimed that those trying to fragment India were getting cover from the Shaheen Bagh protest where the tricolours were being waived.
"It is offering platform to 'tukde tukde gang' elements under the garb of opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. This protest is not just a protest against CAA it is a protest against Modi," Prasad said at a press conference.
"Lakhs of people are distressed because they can not go to office, shops are shut and their children are not able to go to school due to road block by Shaheen Bagh protesters," he added.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responded to the comments by stating that holding a press conference will not help improve law and order in Delhi.
Instead, he said, the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders should, instead, visit the protest site and talk to the protesters.
Challenging the BJP to end the womens' protest at Shaheen Bagh against the controversial CAA, Kejriwal also accused the party of indulging in "dirty politics" over the issue.
He questioned the central government, which is responsible for maintaining law and order in Delhi, as to why it was unable to resolve the issue.
"Instead of holding press conferences, why did Ravi Shankar Prasad not visit Shaheen Bagh?" asked Kejriwal, adding that "law and order will not improve with press conference but by working."
"The roads at Shaheen Bagh are blocked, causing problems for commuters. I have said several times that people should be allowed to protest in a peaceful manner. The protest should not affect the common man," he said.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that the BJP could take notes on "how to work" from the AAP.
"They (BJP) only know how to do dirty politics and hold press conferences. I can give you in writing that the roads will not reopen (to traffic) before February 8. You will see this happen from February 9 onwards," the AAP leader said.
He claimed that the BJP did not want to get the roads reopened.
Earlier in the day, BJP chief JP Nadda had taken to Twitter to criticise the Chief Minister, wondering why permission had not been granted for over a year to prosecute "this tukde tukde gang".
"Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and other anti-India forces raised seditious slogans like ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ in JNU. They were threatening to violate India’s sovereignty. Law enforcement agencies moved in, investigated the matter and in Jan 2019 were ready to file chargesheet," he tweeted.
In a follow-up tweet he added, "Kejriwal must tell Delhi why is he supporting those who want to break India? Is it because acting against these anti-nationals will hurt his vote bank?"
The Delhi Assembly elections will be held on February 8, with the counting of votes taking place on the 11th.
(With inputs from agencies)
