New Delhi: The Delhi police is investigating a recent meet convened by Hindutva groups in North East Delhi’s Dilshad Garden after videos emerged online of alleged hate speeches by speakers at the event, the Indian Express has reported.West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was also in attendance at the ‘Virat Hindu Sabha’ held on Sunday, October 9. A video of his speech circulating online shows the MP making hate comments against Muslims, without referring to the community by name.“Wherever you see them, if you want to set them straight there is only one solution – total boycott. Do you agree? Raise your hands if you agree. Say with me: We will boycott them. We will not buy anything from their shops, we will not employ them. Just do this, this is the solution,” Verma is heard saying in the video, uploaded on YouTube by a channel called O News Hindi.BJP MP Parvesh Verma orders the people of Delhi to financial boycott Muslims. Will @DelhiPolice act against this man for inciting hatred amongst communities? Does PM Modi condone this speech? Is this what BJP meant by Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas! Speak up @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/L8XtjlxbQB— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) October 9, 2022So far, Verma has not questioned the authenticity of the video of his speech or the quotes reported in the media.The meeting was convened after one Manish was stabbed in East Delhi’s Sunder Nagri on October 2. The man was said to be returning home when the incident took place. Videos online show three men stabbing Manish as bystanders looked on without intervening.According to the police, the stabbing incident was the result of an old rivalry. Four people – Sajid, Aalam, Bilal and Faizan – have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.According to PTI, the Delhi police, in the aftermath of the incident, had clarified that the matter was not communal and appealed to the public to not give credence to social media rumours in a tweet it put out on its official handle.“The matter is not communal. Peace has been maintained in the area. Some people are spreading misleading facts on social media regarding the matter. Action can be taken by Delhi Police against such people,” the tweet read.The meeting on Sunday, which was convened in response to the stabbing incident, is currently under the police scanner. “We are analysing the footage. We have received complaints about the event at Ramlila Maidan, Dilshad Garden and are looking into the matter. We have been told that the organisers had permission, but we are verifying their claims,” Indian Express quoted a senior police official as saying.Responding to the alleged inflammatory remarks made by the speakers at the Sunday event, Vishva Hindu Parishad Delhi unit head Kapil Khanna told the newspaper that the “aakrosh sabha” was not just a meeting of the VHP but a “Virat Hindu Sammelan”.“I don’t know exactly what statement they have given but the VHP has always demanded in the Sunder Nagri incident that there should be action as per the constitution,” Khanna said, referring to the stabbing incident.(With PTI inputs)
