Protests and Political Tensions Rise Over Kejriwal’s Purvanchal Remarks

BJP workers protested at the residence of AAP's Arvind Kejriwal over alleged derogatory remarks against Purvanchal citizens. Police intervened using water cannons as tensions heightened. Accusations of fake voter ID allegations by Kejriwal further escalated the dispute amidst upcoming elections in Delhi.

In a dramatic unfolding of events at the heart of Delhi's political hub, BJP workers took to the streets on Friday, holding a 'Purvanchal Samman March' to the residence of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The protest aimed to express outrage over Kejriwal's alleged derogatory remarks against the people of Purvanchal, which encompasses regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

The protest escalated as participants attempted to breach the police barricades near Kejriwal's Feroze Shah Road residence, prompting the Delhi Police to deploy water cannons to control the situation. Several BJP workers were detained in the process. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused Kejriwal of a history of disrespecting Purvanchalis and warned of political repercussions during a press conference.

The tension is just one facet of a brewing controversy over allegations of voter fraud that has emerged in the lead-up to the upcoming elections. Kejriwal, after meeting with the Election Commission, highlighted what he described as alarming voter registration irregularities in the New Delhi Legislative Assembly, claiming 5,500 unverifiable votes were registered in just 22 days.

(With inputs from agencies.)