Chadha accuses BJP of vandalising DJB office; 30 detained

New Delhi: Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice chairman and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha on Thursday claimed that BJP workers vandalised his office and warned him and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against supporting the protesting farmers.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied the allegations saying the attack was orchestrated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Addressing a press conference, Chadha said the 'BJP goons' threatened him by saying that if AAP doesn't stop supporting the farmers then similar attacks will take place against other AAP leaders.

"The BJP goons completely vandalised the office. In front of my cabin, the BJP threatened me by saying that they are here to teach me a lesson. They threatened by saying that the AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are continuously standing beside the farmers and you must stop this," Chadha said.

Kejriwal called the attack "shameful" and said the AAP would not be cowed down by such an act.

"It is so shameful. The BJP should understand that the AAP and my government are fully with the farmers till our last breath. We are not afraid of such cowardice attacks. I appeal to all the party workers not to be provoked by such attacks of BJP and express restraint and continue their support to the farmers," Kejriwal tweeted.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting for at various border points of Delhi against the laws and demanding that the legislations be repealed. The AAP has come out strongly in support of the protesting farmers

Chadha further claimed that the attack took place with the support of the Delhi Police.

"Otherwise, how could the goons attack such a high security area. It is a premeditated attack by the BJP with the help of Delhi police and its aim is clear to threaten Arvind Kejriwal and all of us that we should not support farmers," Chadha told reporters. Chadha claimed that the vandals entered from the main gate and reached to the vice-chairman cell of the Delhi Jal Board where they destroyed the office.

"Around 250 people barged into my office and broke the glasses, doors and pots. They threatened my staff and attacked them," Chadha claimed.

"They broke the doors, windows, benches, and vandalised the entire office starting from the reception till my chamber. The BJP goons destroyed our printers, computers and other important items. They have also broken the picture of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal which was installed at my chamber. They have threatened my employees and beaten them up," he said.

However, a senior police officer said, "Around 30 people have been detained from the DJB office. Legal action has been initiated against the violators."

Chadha claimed that the "BJP goons" threatened them by pointing at the decision of the Kejriwal government not to allow Delhi stadiums to "jail" the protesting farmers.

"They pointed out that at one side Arvind Kejriwal directed the whole AAP to work for the farmers as caregivers and on the other side he tore the farm laws passed by the central government," he claimed.

"They also said that the AAP should follow the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or else these violent attacks will continue on the leaders of the AAP. They also said that as I have become the new co-in-charge of Punjab I should not focus much on the farmer issue and support their demands," he added. Chadha said the AAP will not be scared by such intimidation and attack by the BJP.

"AAP members will oppose these anti-farmer laws till their last breath. The BJP can attack us and threaten us as much as they want but we will not be scared. We will stand beside the farmers shoulder to shoulder. The BJP can kill the AAP leaders but we will extend our full support to the farmers," he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP spokesperson Virendra Babar alleged that the AAP had itself orchestrated the attack and was now blaming the saffron party.

The Delhi Police has detained party unit chief Adesh Gupta and many workers, but we are not afraid of these tactics, he said.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta on Thursday alleged that party workers were attacked by AAP volunteers during a protest at the DJB headquarters and that the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government "conspired" to defame the saffron party by sabotaging the demonstration.