BJP asserts Delhi riots were anti-Hindu massacre after Tahir Hussain conviction

Delhi riots were ‘anti-Hindu massacre’: BJP after Tahir Hussain’s conviction in IB staffer’s murder case The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has described the Delhi riots as an ‘anti-Hindu massacre’ following the conviction of Tahir Hussain and four others in the murder case of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer. The party has long claimed that the violence, which took place in February 2020, was a targeted campaign against Hindus in the city. The BJP’s assertion comes amid widespread outrage over the conviction, with many demanding a more decisive response from the government to curb communal violence..

The party has accused the previous Congress-led government in Delhi of abdicating its responsibility to protect Hindus and other minorities during the riots. Tahir Hussain, a local politician from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was found guilty of conspiring to kill Ankit Sharma, a 26-year-old IB staffer who died in the riots. Sharma’s body was later found in a drain in Khajuri Khas..

Tahir Hussain has been sentenced to life imprisonment. His accomplices have also been handed down various jail terms ranging from 10 to 20 years. The conviction has sparked a fresh row over the handling of the riots by the Delhi Police and the AAP-led government..

The BJP has repeatedly claimed that the riots were a premeditated attack on Hindus and accused the AAP of shielding rioters. The AAP has consistently denied such allegations and maintained that the riots were a spontaneous uprising against police brutality. As the verdict was pronounced, BJP’s Delhi president Manoj Tiwari expressed satisfaction with the conviction..

Today, justice has been served. The Delhi riots were a planned attack on Hindus, which resulted in the loss of many innocent lives, he said. Tiwari vowed to continue fighting for the rights of Hindus and other minority communities in Delhi..

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party has termed the conviction as politically motivated. AAP’s leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Sharma’s murder was being used as a tool to politicise the riots. Kejriwal stated that the real culprits behind the riots have not been brought to justice yet..

The riots in February 2020 had left over 50 dead, including Sharma, and injured hundreds. The violence was sparked after US President Donald Trump’s visit to India and a contentious Citizenship Amendment Act which allowed non-Muslim migrants to claim citizenship. The riots led to widespread communal clashes between groups of Hindus and Muslims..

BJP’s assertion of the riots being an ‘anti-Hindu massacre’ has been contradicted by many independent observers who have noted that the violence was driven by a complex mix of factors. They argue that while there were indeed instances of communal violence, the riots cannot be simply reduced to a Hindu vs Muslim narrative. The Delhi government, led by AAP, has faced widespread criticism for its handling of the riots..

The government was accused of being slow to respond to the situation and inadequately prepared to deal with the scale of violence. Many felt that the government allowed the situation to spiral out of control, leading to further bloodshed. The conviction of Tahir Hussain and his accomplices comes as a significant relief to Sharma’s family, who have been fighting for justice for his murder..

Sharma’s mother, Rinky Ankit, said the verdict has brought her closure, but she still hopes that more culprits are brought to book. Sharma’s murder was one of the many incidents of violence that occurred during the riots in Delhi. The exact number of casualties is still not known, and several investigations have been launched to examine the situation..

As tensions continue to simmer over the riots, the conviction of Tahir Hussain is likely to be a contentious topic in the ongoing debate. The outcome of the case is expected to set a precedent for dealing with communal violence in the future. Many are watching closely to see how the government and the law enforcement agencies respond to these incidents..

With the BJP taking a strong stance on the issue, the situation is likely to become even more politicised in the days to come. As the debate over the riots continues, it is clear that the case of Tahir Hussain marks a turning point in the efforts to seek justice for the victims and their families..