Jahangirpuri clashes a 'conspiracy'; probe role of illegal immigrants: Delhi BJP

New Delhi, Apr 16: Delhi BJP leaders on Saturday called the clashes during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri a "conspiracy" and demanded a probe into the role of "illlegal immigrants" in the incident.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and party MP Manoj Tiwari said the "attack" on the procession was "not a spontaneous incident, but a conspiracy".

Clashes broke out between two communities during the procession in Jahangirpuri on Saturday, leaving several police personnel injured.

Police said there was stone-pelting and some vehicles were also torched in the violence that occurred at around 6 pm. Additional police forces have been rushed to the region and other communally sensitive areas.

Former AAP minister and BJP leader Kapil Mishra said the stone pelting on the procession was a "terrorist attack" and demanded immediate expulsion of illigal immigrants from the country.

The Delhi BJP president said he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urge him to order a probe into the violence. He also questioned how the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis living illegally in Delhi were provided water and electricity connections.

"I want to ask (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal why is he providing water and electricity to Rohingyas and Bangladeshis living illegally in the city," he said in a video message.

No immediate response was available from the ruling AAP government in Delhi on Gupta's allegations.

The BJP leader also appealed to Delhiites to maintain peace and added that a party delegation will visit the area. The guilty must be punished, he added.

North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who had earlier raised the issue of illegal immigrants living in the city, said those protecting such settlers were a "bigger" threat.

"Illegal migrants are big threat and need to be investigated as they are spoiling the harmony of our nation. People who are protecting and helping them settle here are a bigger threat!," he tweeted after the incident.

Meanwhile, Kapil Mishra, who was accused by the opposition for inciting violence in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone on Ram Navami, said papers of all illegal immigrants should be checked and they should be immediately expelled.

"The attack on Hanuman Jayanti procession was not a 'Sanyog' (spontaneous) but a 'Prayog' (experiment). It was a terrorist attack. The settlements of Bangladeshi trespassers was now involved in attacks," he said.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor also demanded a probe into the incident.

Officials said overall security has been stepped up in all the remaining 14 police districts of the national capital and technical surveillance has also been mounted to ensure no untoward incident takes place.

Communal clashes had broken out in Northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 700 injured.