Book Togadia for hate speech : AAM AADMI PARTY

On Apr 21, 2014

The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the hate speech given by Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) president Pravin Togadia in Bhavnagar, Gujarat on Saturday evening targeting Muslims for buying properties in certain areas.

This is an extremely shocking and a shameful act and goes against the constitution of India which provides equality and freedom for every citizen.

There is no place for such violent and communal acts in our democracy which has a potential to destabilize our secular foundation. AAP demands that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi should publicly repudiate this act, take strict action against Togadia and the mob that gathered on that night and assure no such incidents will be allowed in future. If no action is taken against Togadia and his followers, Modi’s complicity in such actions will become clear.

As per media reports, Togadia gave a provocative speech in which he gave the Muslim family 48 hours to vacate their houses, failing which he asked his group of followers to take forcible possession of the house and fight a legal battle later which will go on for years.

Togadia also threatened them with violence and asked his followers to “go with stones, tyres and tomatoes” and that there is nothing to fear. Finally he confessed to similar crimes committed by him in past and the affected Muslims had lost both property and money.

Coming as it does on the heels of the BJP candidate from Navada Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, Giriraj Singh’s statement that those who oppose Modi will be sent to Pakistan, it shows that the BJP and its associated organisations like the VHP are trying to inflame communal feelings and communalise the situation in the country for votes.

The communallly provocative statements of BJP incharge for Uttar Presdesh, Amit Shah are also designed to do the same, as are the statements of some leaders of the Samajwadi party like Azam Khan.
The AAP also demands that the Election Commission of India should direct immediate registration of an FIR against Togadia and the Commisssion should take strict action against him, so that he is not allowed to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere during elections.