One set of videos of scuffle at Delhi’s Signature Bridge show BJP’s Manoj Tiwari assaulting cops while others show AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan pushing the MP.
New Delhi: YouTuber and activist Dhruv Rathee was among those who shared just one version of the events that led to the scuffle between BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and AAP MLA from Okhla Amanatullah Khan at the inauguration of the Signature Bridge in Delhi Sunday.
Rathee had quoted the Asia News International’s video tweet where Tiwari is seen beating up police personnel attempting to prevent clashes between AAP and BJP workers.
BJP can never tolerate any achievement from some other party.
These goons are always ready to get into fights. This is a video of BJP Delhi Chief Manoj Tiwari getting in fight at signature bridge inauguration pic.twitter.com/D2tJ3KABza
— Dhruv Rathee ?? (@dhruv_rathee) November 4, 2018
The tweet was retweeted by more than 2,495 users and was viewed over 1,40,000 times.
BJP supporters countered this by sharing a video that shows Tiwari, the BJP MP from North-East Delhi, standing with his supporters where suddenly Khan comes in and pushes him. This leads to outrage among Tiwari’s supporters and there is incessant shouting. This video was tweeted by ANI.
Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan also shared the video Sunday.
सीएम @ArvindKejriwal दिल्ली में आराजकता फैलाना चाहते हैं। #SignatureBridge के उद्घाटन कार्यक्रम में स्थानीय सांसद @ManojTiwariMP जी पर अपने MLA #अमानुल्लाहखान से गाली-गलौज के साथ हमला करवाया। इस बेहद शर्मनाक घटना की मैं कड़ी निंदा करता हूं @BJP4Delhi @BJP4India #manojtiwari pic.twitter.com/Lac0MKzf48
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) November 4, 2018
The text in Hindi says, “CM Kejriwal wants to spread anarchy in the nation. At the inauguration of the Signature Bridge, he got the local MP beaten up by his MLA Amanatullah Khan. I condemn this shameful incidence”.
When asked if he was aware of Khan’s actions, Rathee said it was a blunder and that the AAP MLA had “pushed unprovoked.” He, however, said there were multiple videos in which “BJP members were tearing posters and throwing bottles on stage”.
“I am not sure which incidents happened first,” Rathee told ThePrint.
Also read: AAP uses a picture from Netherlands to promote Delhi’s new Signature Bridge
Tiwari alleges Khan threatened him
Tiwari has since claimed that he was standing calmly by a divider with his supporters when Khan pushed him and threatened him.
“I first tried to reach the stage but the police and AAP supporters pushed me aside and I silently moved back to the divider,” Tiwari told Dilli Ajtak. “I still stood quietly. Then the MLA comes again and all of a sudden he pushed me and said that he will shoot me if I didn’t go back. I was lucky that I didn’t fall from the bridge.”
The North-East Delhi MP, who claimed to have approved Rs 33 crore in 2014 for the Rs 1,594-crore bridge, was upset over AAP not inviting him for the inauguration. He also said that the whenever any Centre-approved project was completed in Delhi, he had always invited the local MLA for the inauguration.
ThePrint tried to reach Khan through repeated calls and texts, but he is yet to respond.
Khan had, however, retweeted a tweet by Manish Sisodia, the Deputy CM of Delhi, which was shared in a response to Harsh Vardhan’s allegations.
Sisodia asked Harsh Vardhan to also have a look at BJP supporters who were throwing bottles while the chief minister was delivering the speech.
सर जी! आपकी पार्टी के प्रदेश अध्यक्ष ने सरकारी कार्यक्रम में मुख्यमंत्री के भाषण के दौरान मुख्यमंत्री पर पानी की बोतल फेंकी… थोड़ी उनको शाबाशी भी दे दीजिए।
उन्होंने दिल्ली पुलिस के एक अफसर को थप्पड़ भी मारा। उस पर गर्व भी ज़ाहिर कर दीजिए। दिल मे काहे दबा के रखे हुए हैं? https://t.co/KlkgBxwyNw— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) November 4, 2018
Khan’s controversies
This is not the first time that Khan has landed in a controversy.
On 24 July, 2016, Khan was booked under the section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) section 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Jamia Nagar police station for allegedly threatening a woman with dire consequences. He was, however, let out on bail on 28 July after furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000.
Also read: Scuffle breaks out between Manoj Tiwari and AAP members at Signature Bridge inauguration
In May last year, Khan was suspended from the party for publicly criticising Kumar Vishwas. He was reinstated soon, leaving the latter unhappy.
In February this year, Delhi chief secretary Anshul Prakash had lodged an FIR against two AAP MLAs, which included Khan, for allegedly assaulting him at the CM’s residence. On 12 March 12, he was granted bail by the Delhi High Court at an amount set at Rs 50,000.
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