Delhi CM Rekha Gupta welcomed the life sentence for ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in the Ankit Sharma murder case. She slammed AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, questioning his alleged support for Hussain and asking if he incited riots with his approval.
Delhi CM Slams Kejriwal Over Support for Hussain
The chief minister also questioned AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal over his alleged support for Tahir Hussain, asking if “individuals like Tahir Hussain conspire to incite riots with his tacit approval” and urged him to explain the act to the citizens.In a post on X, CM Gupta welcomed the court’s verdict and said that “justice prevailed today and the verdict would further strengthen the faith of every citizen in the country in the law and the judiciary. “We welcome the Hon’ble Court’s verdict sentencing former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain and five other convicts to life imprisonment for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma. Today, the people of Delhi demand answers from the Aam Aadmi Party. Tahir Hussain was arrested on murder charges, yet Kejriwal ji and Manish Sisodia continued to stand by him and made persistent efforts to shield him! Why? Will Kejriwal ji explain this to the people of Delhi? Did individuals like Tahir Hussain conspire to incite riots with his tacit approval?” Gupta said in her post.”Justice has prevailed today. This verdict further strengthens the faith of every citizen in the country in the law and the judiciary,” she added.Earlier today, the Karkardooma Court awarded life imprisonment to Tahir Hussain in the murder case of IB official Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Following the verdict, Hussain said, “I will get justice from the High Court.”
BJP Leaders Welcome Verdict, Question AAP
Further, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Harish Khurana also welcomed the verdict and said that Ankit Sharma’s family must feel some relief following the court’s decision. “I believe the law has taken its course, and Ankit Sharma’s family must feel some sense of relief today. Questions arise regarding those who viewed Tahir Hussain through the prism of a specific religion and attempted to portray him as innocent. There was an attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt, an assumption that, simply because he belonged to a particular religion, he must be innocent. Recall the actions of Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, and members of the Congress party; consider how they tried to defend him. Tahir Hussain was a close associate of Arvind Kejriwal, a councillor from his own party. Today, I ask these individuals: Will they apologise to the nation?…” Khurana told ANI.While speaking to ANI, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said the verdict was a “victory for justice” and demanded that AAP leaders apologise for choosing Tahir Hussain as a councillor. “The 2020 Delhi riots took place in my parliamentary constituency. Today, the mastermind of the Delhi riots, Tahir Hussain, and his associates have been sentenced to life imprisonment. I view this as a victory for justice; while serving as an Aam Aadmi Party councillor, he committed such a horrific murder and conspired to incite such brutal riots. Today, AAP leaders should come forward and apologise for the kind of people they chose as councillors… The court’s decision to sentence Tahir Hussain and his associates to life imprisonment has strengthened faith in the justice system. Although those who witnessed the Delhi riots firsthand had hoped for an even harsher punishment, this brings great satisfaction–the victory of justice has begun,” Tiwari said.
AAP Defends Stance, Expelled Hussain Immediately
Meanwhile, hitting back at the BJP on the verdict, AAP Chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said that Hussain was expelled from the party after the case was registered against him. “The very day the case was registered against him, Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party expelled him from the party. There is no room for criminal activities in our party, and we never offer any kind of protection. In contrast, within the BJP, if you are involved in a serious crime, you receive full protection,” Kakkar told ANI.Defending the party, AAP Chief Spokesperson alleged that the BJP fielded Hussain from Mustafabad to contest against the AAP and said questions must “certainly be raised regarding the nature of the BJP’s relationship with him”. “It was Kapil Mishra who brought him into the Aam Aadmi Party and secured a ticket for him; subsequently, after the Aam Aadmi Party expelled him, it was the BJP that fielded him from Mustafabad to contest against the Aam Aadmi Party. Therefore, questions must certainly be raised regarding the nature of the BJP’s relationship with him,” Kakkar said.
Ankit Sharma’s Family ‘Disappointed’, Sought Death Penalty
However, the Brother of Ankit Sharma has expressed disappointment after a court sentenced those convicted in his murder case to life imprisonment. Speaking to ANI over the phone, Ankit Sharma’s brother said the family had been seeking the death penalty for the convicts. “Our demand from the very beginning was that the court should treat my brother’s case as the ‘rarest of the rare’ and award the harshest punishment, which is the death penalty. We were expecting capital punishment,” he said.Delhi’s Karkardooma Court on July 31 awarded life imprisonment to former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in the murder case of IB official Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)