New Delhi: A year after his controversial speech followed violence in North-East Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra on Monday said that he would “redo” it if the need arises.
“It’s been a year now, so I want to say this here. If the need arises to redo what I did on February 23, I would do it all over again,” he said. He was speaking alongside authors of “Delhi Riots: The Untold Story” at Constitution Club, reported The Indian Express.
“I have no regrets, besides the fact that we could not save Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma and constable Ratan Lal,” he added.
At a pro-CAA gathering near the Maujpur traffic signal on February 23 last year, Mishra had warned the anti-CAA protesters to clear the area, failing which they would take to the streets. In the video, deputy superintendent of police (North East Delhi) Ved Prakash Surya can be seen standing next to him as he issued the infamous ‘ultimatum’.
Violence soon broke out in the area soon after the speech, claiming 53 lives.
“It’s been a year since Jihadi forces engineered the riots in Delhi. Exactly the same pattern is being seen even now, like what happened on Republic Day (this year). The so-called fringe elements are trying to sabotage peace in the capital, aided and funded by anti-India forces, both within and outside the country. The protests to riots model is very much evident,” he said.
In an interview with the BBC earlier, Mishra said that he engaged in relief works for the Hindu victims of the riots, Rinku Sharma’s family. When asked why he helped only Hindu victims, while there were more Muslims on the affected side, he said: “They have Waqf board, Delhi government and entire media alongside them. I only helped those who are left out.”