The party demanded that First Information Reports be filed against Mishra and the Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, for allegedly amplifying a fabricated narrative on Kanwar Yatra
NEW DELHI — The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a scathing attack on Delhi’s Law Minister and BJP leader Kapil Mishra, accusing him of deliberately spreading false information to stoke communal tensions during the Kanwar Yatra. The party demanded that First Information Reports (FIRs) be filed against both Mishra and Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena for allegedly amplifying a fabricated narrative.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said that Mishra’s July 12 post on social media platform ‘X’ — claiming miscreants had strewn glass along the Kanwar Yatra route in Shahdara — was misleading and aimed at inciting communal unrest.
Bharadwaj stated that the Delhi Police later clarified the incident had no communal angle and was the result of an e-rickshaw accident that occurred on July 10. The vehicle, carrying 19 windshield glasses, was struck by another vehicle near Chintamani Chowk to Jhilmil Metro, causing the glass to break and scatter across the road.
“This entire story was fabricated by Delhi’s Law Minister to incite communal unrest,” Bharadwaj alleged. “From the tweets of Kapil Mishra and the LG, it appeared the incident had just occurred and cleanup was ongoing. But Delhi Police made it clear that the road had been cleared well before July 12.”
He also criticised the lieutenant governor for posting a similar video the next day, July 13, in which he claimed Kanwariyas had walked barefoot over broken glass, and directed the police and PWD to act swiftly.
“Even if we assume the LG wasn’t fully informed at the time of his tweet, why didn’t he or Kapil Mishra issue a clarification after the police disclosed the facts?” Bharadwaj asked. “Their silence only exposes their intent.”
Recalling Kapil Mishra’s controversial history, Bharadwaj said, “This is the same Kapil Mishra who incited the 2020 Delhi riots with inflammatory speeches. When Justice S Muralidhar of the Delhi High Court ordered an FIR against him, the government transferred the judge overnight. The LG holds a constitutional position. If his intentions were honest, he would have posted a clarification tweet within two hours.”
Former MLA and senior AAP leader Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed, who also spoke at the press conference, highlighted the decades-long tradition of communal harmony during the Kanwar Yatra. He said that Muslim-majority areas in East Delhi, such as Seelampur and Yamuna Vihar, have hosted the yatra peacefully for decades.
“Since 1994, we have set up camps for Kanwariyas and served them with love. We lay carpets, clean the roads, and offer refreshments. There has never been any tension,” Ahmed said. “To suggest that glass was deliberately scattered to hurt Kanwariyas is a lie. We’ve always stood by our Hindu brothers in ensuring a safe and peaceful yatra.”
Ahmed further pointed out that at least 20 camps were set up this year across the city at the appeal of Muslim leaders and volunteers, and many were operating under his supervision.
“Why would we harm those whom we serve every year with devotion? This was clearly an accident, twisted by BJP leaders to fan communal flames,” he said.
Bharadwaj concluded by calling for legal action. “The tweets by Kapil Mishra and the LG sparked nationwide outrage and created unnecessary tension. FIRs must be filed against them. Their actions were not only irresponsible but dangerous to the fragile communal harmony of Delhi.”
The Delhi Police, meanwhile, has confirmed that the July 10 incident was purely accidental and had no communal motive. Despite that, no clarification has been issued by either Kapil Mishra or the LG so far.
