A day after ruckus in a North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) meeting, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) of being “anti-Bania” (anti-traders) and demanded action against BJP councilor from Bhalswa, Surender Singh Khrub who allegedly “attacked” its member in the house meeting of the civic body called on Monday at historical Town Hall in Chandni Chowk.
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Gupta demanded that the BJP should expel its councillor who allegedly attacked AAP councilor Vikas Goyal in the meeting.
“The incident exposes BJP’s anti-Bania face before the country,” Gupta said. The “anti-Bania” stand of the BJP is already “exposed” by deletion of over four lakh trader community votes in Delhi, he charged. The trading community is said to be traditional supporters of the BJP.
AAP Councillor Vikas Goyal said that he was attacked by BJP Councillors Surender Singh Khrub after he objected an offensive to a remark made against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “I was beaten inside the house by the BJP councilor for requesting him to sit and allow debate peacefully, Goyal said.
Accepting the charges, a defiant Councillor Khrub, said that he beat him because he was disturbing the house meeting and criticising Primer Minister
Narendra Modi. Asking about why did he take action himself inside the house, Khrub said that he will do it again and anywhere.
“Some of the members, from both the BJP and the AAP, after speaking on certain issues, had heated exchange of words. And, this led to chaos in which, some of the members exchanged blows,” Adesh Gupta, mayor of the BJP-ruled corporation, had said after the incident.
Sushil Gupta said AAP councilors will ‘gherao’ the mayor demanding action against BJP councilors who allegedly attacked Goyal.
He charged that Goyal was “attacked” for raising the sealing issue in the House meeting.
“BJP does not want anyone to raise voice against sealing. Those doing so are treated like Goyal,” he alleged.
The AAP councillor and Leader of Opposition in North Corporation Anil Lakra alleged that it was a “pre-planned conspiracy” by BJP councillors to attack AAP councilors.