'The Kashmir files' row: 70 detained for creating ruckus outside Delhi CM's house

New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) Delhi Police on Wednesday detained around 70 people for creating ruckus outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here.

The protest was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over the Chief Minister's recent remarks in the Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie that were deemed as "against the Kashmiri Pandit" community among the saffron clans.

The protest, which was led by BJP Yuva Morcha's national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and its national president Tejasvi Surya, started around 10.30 a.m. from the IP College to the Chief Minister's residence.

When the protesters reached the CM's residence around 11.30 a.m., they started raising slogans against Kejriwal and his party. Around 1 p.m., some of the protesters breached the two barricades that were placed near the CM house and created ruckus there.

Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi told IANS that the protesters who breached the barricades, "were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door".

"In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera," Kalsi said.

The senior police officer further informed that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 persons. "Legal action is being initiated," he added.

Meanwhile, the AAP leaders are accusing the personnel of Delhi Police for their alleged inaction during the incident and alleged that the BJP was "trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal".

"CM Arvind Kejriwal's HOUSE ATTACKED BY BJP! SECURITY BARRIERS BROKEN, CCTVs CAMERAS BROKEN, GATE VANDALISED, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM BJP'S DELHI POLICE. Stunned by AAP's victory in Punjab, is BJP trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal ji?," the party tweeted from its official handle.

AAP leader Raghav Chaddha alleged that the BJP was furious over their defeat in Punjab and have now come down to poor politics. "The attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ji's residence by BJP goons is highly condemnable. In the presence of police, these goons broke barricades and CCTV cameras," Chaddha said.

BJPYM's leaders -- Bagga and Surya -- alleged that Kejriwal should tender an apology for his comments against the Kashmiri Hindus.

"If asking for an apology on Kejriwal's remarks on the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is an anti-social activity, then yes we are an anti-social," Bagga wrote on Twitter.

The BJP was continuously demanding from the AAP government to make 'The Kashmir Files' movie tax free in Delhi, however, Kejriwal, recently in the Assembly turned down all such requests and further asked the BJP to upload the movie on YouTube and spent the earned money on the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Furthermore, the Delhi chief minister also insinuated that 'The Kashmir Files' is a "jhoothi" (not based on facts) film.

The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKDP) took strong exception to the Chief Minister's remarks and said that the 'docudrama' ('The Kashmir Files') is based on personal testimonies and meticulous documentation of the community records.

Pertinent to mention here that, in the past, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had given the tax free status to several movies like '83' and 'Saand Ki Aankh'.