Kejriwal breaks silence on Tahir Hussain conviction, takes 'chanda chor' jab at BJP
Arvind Kejriwal said Tahir Hussain had been expelled from AAP years ago after his conviction in the Ankit Sharma murder case. The response came after Kapil Mishra questioned AAP leaders over their silence.
A day after former AAP leader Tahir Hussain was convicted in the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots, party chief Arvind Kejriwal said the former councillor had been expelled years ago.
Breaking his silence on the conviction, Kejriwal wrote on X, "We expelled him from AAP long long back. Didn't he join one of chanda chor party's sister organization?"
In the post, Kejriwal also appeared to take a swipe at the BJP by referring to it as the "chanda chor party" (donation thief party), an apparent reference to the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft case.
The remarks came shortly after Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra criticised AAP's top leadership for remaining silent following Hussain's conviction.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Mishra asked, "Why are Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh silent after the conviction? Why have they not come forward and said anything on the matter?"
He also questioned why the then AAP government did not publicly condemn the killing of Ankit Sharma or visit the victim's family during the riots.
"AAP leaders were providing relief camps in other community areas at the time of the riot, and now they are presenting themselves as followers of Sanatan traditions," Mishra added.
After the conviction on Monday, the AAP issued a statement clarifying that Hussain has had no association with the party since 2020.
The party said he was suspended from its primary membership immediately after an FIR was registered against him in connection with the northeast Delhi riots.
Hussain and four others were convicted for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
According to the prosecution, Sharma returned home from work on February 25, 2020, before stepping out again. When he failed to return, his family began searching for him. His body was later recovered from a drain near a mosque in Khajuri Khas.
The riots claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured. Sentencing in the case is expected to take place separately.
A day after former AAP leader Tahir Hussain was convicted in the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots, party chief Arvind Kejriwal said the former councillor had been expelled years ago.
Breaking his silence on the conviction, Kejriwal wrote on X, "We expelled him from AAP long long back. Didn't he join one of chanda chor party's sister organization?"
In the post, Kejriwal also appeared to take a swipe at the BJP by referring to it as the "chanda chor party" (donation thief party), an apparent reference to the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation theft case.
The remarks came shortly after Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra criticised AAP's top leadership for remaining silent following Hussain's conviction.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Mishra asked, "Why are Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh silent after the conviction? Why have they not come forward and said anything on the matter?"
He also questioned why the then AAP government did not publicly condemn the killing of Ankit Sharma or visit the victim's family during the riots.
"AAP leaders were providing relief camps in other community areas at the time of the riot, and now they are presenting themselves as followers of Sanatan traditions," Mishra added.
After the conviction on Monday, the AAP issued a statement clarifying that Hussain has had no association with the party since 2020.
The party said he was suspended from its primary membership immediately after an FIR was registered against him in connection with the northeast Delhi riots.
Hussain and four others were convicted for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
According to the prosecution, Sharma returned home from work on February 25, 2020, before stepping out again. When he failed to return, his family began searching for him. His body was later recovered from a drain near a mosque in Khajuri Khas.
The riots claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured. Sentencing in the case is expected to take place separately.
