"Delhi Police has started indulging in goondagardi": Saurabh Bhardwaj
AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj alleges Delhi Police planted goons to incite violence during a protest near Vikaspuri Police Station.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi President Saurabh Bhardwaj has launched a scathing attack on the Delhi Police, accusing the force of engaging in "goondagardi" (hooliganism). The allegations surfaced following an incident on Monday when AAP workers were marching toward the Vikaspuri Police Station to file an FIR against PWD Minister Parvesh Verma regarding a slapping incident.
Allegations of Planted Goons and Casteist Abuse
According to Bhardwaj, the peaceful procession was disrupted by individuals in plain clothes who infiltrated the group. He claimed these individuals were not random protesters but were intentionally planted to incite chaos.
The AAP leader detailed a series of provocative actions during the march:
- Casteist Slurs: Bhardwaj alleged that the infiltrators used derogatory caste-based language against an AAP MLA and a councillor.
- Physical Assault: The group was reportedly subjected to pushing, manhandling, and physical attacks.
- Targeting Vulnerable Groups: The AAP leader claimed that the police misbehaved with a Dalit councillor and even tore the clothes of women during the confrontation.
"Two or three goons in plain clothes, wearing T-shirts, infiltrated our group," Bhardwaj stated, adding that the party had caught these individuals and handed them over to the authorities, expecting legal action against the aggressors.
Demand for High Court Intervention
A major point of contention for the AAP is the police response following the scuffle. Instead of taking action against the alleged provocateurs, Bhardwaj claims the Delhi Police registered an FIR against the AAP leaders themselves. He questioned why the police allowed these individuals into the gathering in the first place if they were not part of a coordinated effort to incite communal or caste-based violence.
The AAP has now moved to seek the intervention of the Delhi High Court to address these grievances. Bhardwaj demanded that the Delhi Police Commissioner explain the presence of these plain-clothed individuals and the subsequent reversal of legal accountability.
"We will not let them off the hook"
Bhardwaj drew parallels to previous incidents at Jantar Mantar, where he alleged that plain-clothed individuals were used to beat children with batons. He emphasized that the party is no longer willing to overlook such conduct in the name of maintaining "bhaichara" (brotherhood).
"If the police stoop to such cheap politics and commit criminal acts against us, then we too will file reports against them," Bhardwaj asserted. He concluded by warning that the party would fight these legal battles through the High Court and the Supreme Court, stating that the Delhi Police cannot suppress the AAP through the filing of false cases.