A few Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillors on Thursday allegedly beat up an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor when the latter refused to remove his party's cap during a joint MCD session.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the act "shameful".
"Utterly shameful. BJP is a party of gundas (goons). Rakesh is Dalit. BJP is assaulting Dalits all over India in a systematic way," Kejriwal tweeted.
AAP councillor Rakesh Kumar -- who belongs to a Dalit community -- had come to attend the joint session of MCD sporting a party cap. Some BJP councillors raised objections and asked him to remove the cap.
Reports say that initially Kumar removed his cap but later wore it again which triggered a verbal duel between some BJP councillors and him. Later the BJP councillors allegedly slapped Kumar several times before others intervened in the matter.
Kumar then filed a complaint with North MCD Mayor Sanjeev Nayyar who assured him of taking appropriate action.
Shortly after the incident, AAP leader Ashutosh demanded a police inquiry under the SC/ST Act.
"BJP has again showed its anti-Dalit attitude by beating up AAP's Dalit councillor Rakesh Kumar in Ramlila ground. Police should register case under SC/ST Act against BJP councillors who beat up Dalit leader of AAP, Rakesh Kumar," Ashutosh tweeted.
--IANS
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