Delhi Jal Board's Raghav Chadha accuses BJP of vandalising his office, attacking staff; party denies

Delhi Jal Board (DJB) vice-chairman and AAP MLA Raghav Chadha on Thursday claimed that BJP workers vandalised his office and attacked staff members at the DJB's headquarters at Jhandewalan in the national capital. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied the allegations saying the attack was orchestrated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

According to Chadha, the vandals said that the attack should serve as a warning to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MLAs for supporting the ongoing farmers' protest.

BJP goons have attacked the @DelhiJalBoard headquarters. My entire office has been vandalized. Staff has been threatened. pic.twitter.com/iEwhaGBYRB — Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) December 24, 2020

"The vandals told us that Kejriwal is coming out in support of farmers that is why we are warning him with this attack and if the party does not stop supporting the farmers' movement then they will target every AAP MLA," Chadha claimed.

AAP MLA and @DelhiJalBoard Vice Chairman @raghav_chadha's office vandalized by BJP workers. The mob was led by Delhi BJP Chief @adeshguptabjp pic.twitter.com/YT5tKWrAe9

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 24, 2020

Kejriwal called the attack "shameful" and said the AAP would not be cowed down by such a cowardice act. "It is so shameful. The BJP should understand that the Aam Aadmi Party 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.

ये बेहद शर्मनाक है

भाजपा समझ ले कि आम आदमी पार्टी और मेरी सरकार पूरी तरह से अंतिम साँस तक किसानों के साथ है।इस तरह के कायरना हमलों से हम नहीं डरते।मेरी सभी कार्यकर्ताओं से अपील है कि भाजपा के इस तरह के हमलों से उत्तेजित ना हों, संयम बरतें और पूरी तरह से किसानों का साथ दें https://t.co/4FvRWRwVt1 — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 24, 2020

Some of the staff members have suffered injuries, Chadha claimed. "Around 250 people barged into my office and broke the glasses, doors and pots. They threatened my staff and attacked them," Chadha claimed.

BJP वाले अब खुलेआम गुंडागर्दी करते घरों और दफ़्तरों में घुस जा रहे हैं और पुलिस बाक़ायदा संरक्षण में लाकर उनसे हमला करवाती है.
गुंडागर्दी का दूसरा नाम बीजेपी . https://t.co/qS8AmoCwdB — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 24, 2020

He 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 pre-meditated 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.

The BJP workers had come to the DJB headquarters to protest and the police allowed them to enter the premises, he claimed. Chadha also tweeted a video clip purportedly showing broken doors, glass, pots, furniture and bloodstains on the floor.

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. 

with additional inputs from news agency PTI