When Kejriwal was let out after those 15 minutes, he openly travelled with his cavalcade in an open jeep for he had got what he wanted ‘“ publicity. That too in full strength to last till the end of elections.
Wednesday was the day when election commission announced poll dates for Lok Sabha elections. But it became a day where Aam Aadmi Party and Bhartiya Janata Party remained in news all for the wrong reasons.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was in Gujarat to “assess” the development work done by Gujarat chief minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Kejriwal was shown black flags by villagers and booed by them too. He was traveling by road when in Radhnagar his cavalcade was halted by the Gujarat police.
He was made aware of the model code of conduct being in place after Election Commission’s declaration by the police, but he incited the police to detain him. The youtube video for the same is doing rounds on the social media platforms.
“@jatanacharya: #NaxalAAP लीडर केजरीवाल खà¥à¤¦ चाहता था कि उसकी गिरफ़à¥à¤¤à¤¾à¤°à¥€ हो,ताकि पोलिटिकल माइलेज ले सके,देंखे विडिओ http://t.co/eNC71fGtGY“
— पà¥à¤°à¤¿à¤‚स बबà¥à¤¬à¤°#HDL (@princekumar201) March 6, 2014
For which, the Gujarat police detained him briefly for 15 minutes. But within these 15 minutes, Kejriwal supporters spread the lie that he was arrested by Gujarat police by sending text messages to their supporters.
RT @SirKRK : #NaxalAAP This SMS sparks the Anarchy by Arvind Kejriwal and AAP party. pic.twitter.com/aUEdRxoJRU Stage managed drama!
— Brijit #NaMo4PM (@Brijitdighe) March 6, 2014
The AAP workers and supporters positioned themselves outside BJP headquarters in Delhi. Among them were AAP leaders like Shazia Ilmi, Ashutosh and Rajmohan Gandhi. The ‘peaceful protesters’ then pelted stones at the BJP office and workers injuring many in the process. They also climbed on the walls and tried to break open the gate damaging the property. The windshields of all the cars standing outside BJP office were broken by them.
While Ashutosh incited the mob, Gandhi stood with stone pelters. SO much for the non-violent agenda of the party.
#NaxalAAP leader Ashutosh trying to climb the BJP Main Gate/Office wall. #ModiKiDilli #BackToMobocracy #BornWithIt pic.twitter.com/NeYEr82v7X
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) March 5, 2014
The AAP was gaining majorly from the lie that Kejriwal and his men spread from Gujarat to Delhi. The party (and later Kejriwal) told the media that Modi was “rattled” by Kejriwal’s visit and that’s why they “arrested” Kejriwal who was on a “personal” visit to the state to “see” the development work there.
When asked about the topi-wearing and party symbol bearing AAP workers greeting Kejriwal in Gujarat and doing a road show despite model code of coduct being in place, Ilmi said that the visit was planned early. They even questioned the mahasabha being held by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Aurangabad asking why he wasn’t detained there.
But in doing so they forgot that Aurangabad is in Bihar which has nothing to do with Modi or Gujarat police. Perhaps they should have given a dharna outside Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence.
The violence that broke out later was positioning the party on the wrong foot. Not for long though, the BJP reacted in defence to the violence and leaders like Nalin Kohli came out of the BJP office with a cane in hand. He told media that he did so to fend off violent AAP supporters as people were seriously injured inside BJP office.
The BJP leadership, however, kept appealing to all their workers for keeping calm. Many of them tweeted their appeal:
My sincere appeal to all #BJP party workers to stay calm and not to react over #NaxalAAP and keep their focus on Lok Sabha for #ModiKiDilli
— Bhagat S. Koshyari (@BSKoshyari) March 6, 2014
Meanwhile in Lucknow, AAP and BJP workers clashed where BJP workers cane charged AAP workers because of what happened in Delhi. It was like a trickle down effect.
The twitter war which started in the aftermath of this mayhem, had two hashtags trending: #NaxalAAP by BJP supporters and #ViolentBJP by AAP supporters.
Here is a peek into them:
#NaxalAAP If this Nautanki is AAP definition of Clean Politics then who wants a change.
— Nimesh Shah (@Nimeshnimesh123) March 6, 2014
RT “@IACBilaspur: Nalin Kohli showed pic.twitter.com/1vBPb788wT #ViolentBJP “
— AAP Activists’ Group (@JoinAAP) March 6, 2014
“In pictures how Urban Naxalism propagated by Arvind Kejriwal attacked main office of #NaxalAAP pic.twitter.com/g66mKmoKOC” RT @Sweta148
— harbansh yadav #HDL (@thehyadav) March 6, 2014
BJP supporters “clash” with AAP supporters outside BJP office in Lucknow. Lathi vs the broom #ViolentBjp pic.twitter.com/ypMH02lpue
— दिनेश कà¥à¤®à¤¾à¤° दà¥à¤¬à¥‡ (@IACBilaspur) March 6, 2014
Time for Delhi police to arrest @shaziailmi and @ashutosh83B under a non-bailable warrant for inciting riots, violence #NaxalAAP
— Ravi Garg (@RaviGarg_iitm) March 6, 2014
Delhi: AAP worker injured outside BJP Office pic.twitter.com/DkQXzxeKGC #ViolentBJP
— दिनेश कà¥à¤®à¤¾à¤° दà¥à¤¬à¥‡ (@IACBilaspur) March 6, 2014
^The same picture was tweeted by BJP too
Time for Delhi police to arrest @shaziailmi and @ashutosh83B under a non-bailable warrant for inciting riots, violence #NaxalAAP
— Ravi Garg (@RaviGarg_iitm) March 6, 2014
AAPtards must have learned stone pelting from their “brave” brothers who made Kashmiri Pandits leave their homes. #NaxalAAP #NaxaliKejriwal
— Nitish Kumar Diwakar (@NitishDiwakar) March 6, 2014
When Kejriwal was let out after those 15 minutes, he openly travelled with his cavalcade in an open jeep for he had got what he wanted – publicity. That too in full strength to last till the end of elections.
- And this morning:
@Swamy39 the world knows what you swami has said about Vajpayee ji !!! Should I write that !!
— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) March 6, 2014
Ashutosh and Ilmi along with others has been charged with rioting and inciting the mob.