New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra on Monday welcomed the conviction of former Aam Aadmi Party Municipal Councillor Tahir Hussain for the planned murder of Intelligence Bureau Official Ankit Sharma in the midst of the 2020 Delhi riots in North East Delhi.

Delhi BJP President said that the Aam Aadmi Party has had a strong bond with several anti- national activists, which has time and again been exposed, including Tahir Hussain’s link to the 2020 riots.

Khalid Saifi, another accused in the 2020 riots, too has worked with Team Arvind Kejriwal in its India Against Corruption days, said Malhotra.

Up to 2023, before being pulled up by the Delhi High Court, the Arvind Kejriwal government played too soft on cases against Umar Khalid, another accused in Delhi riots, he said.

Similarly, Amanatullah Khan, MLA Okhla, has been, time and again, accused of inciting Muslim mobs between 2015 and 2024, especially during anti-CAA agitation held in Okhla, Malhotra said.

The Delhi BJP President said the BJP has repeatedly accused Arvind Kejriwal of patronising anti-Hindu minority community leaders like Tahir Hussain, Amanatullah Khan, Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi.

“Today, after Tahir Hussain’s conviction for young IB Official Shri Ankit Sharma’s murder, Delhi BJP demands public apology from Arvind Kejriwal for patronising Tahir Hussain and others,” said Malhotra.

Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra also welcomed the conviction in the anti-Hindu riots in which Tahir Hussain was involved.

“The AAP leaders were trying to save Tahir Hussain and the theory of a pre-planned conspiracy to block roads and massacre Hindus and force them to migrate from the area stands proven,” said Mishra.

He said today AAP leaders are trying to embrace Hindutva and hold religious gatherings, but they cannot run away from the guilt of the killing of Hindus, including Ankit Sharma.

–IANS

rch/dan