Those who give hate speech must be barred from polls: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari

Read Manoj Tiwari’s full interview

He added: “Ek aisa system bane ki jo bhi hate speech diya ho uski vaidhanik manyata hi samapt kar di jaaye (let us start a system wherein people who give hate speeches lose the legal right [to fight polls]). And if such a system is put in place, I, as an individual and not as party president, will support it.”

Asked why he was not taking action against people in his own party, he said, “Ek ko punish karne se nahi hoga na, aur punish humein nahi karna hai, kanoon ko karna hai (punishing one won’t solve the problem, and we don’t have to punish, the law has to)”.

When pressed further, he said: “Unko toh janta ne hi punish kar diya… aage se niyam banaate hain (the people have already punished him, going forward, let’s make a rule).”

He said everyone should be inspected, irrespective of party lines — be it Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan or Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

Tiwari’s comments come days after Home Minister Amit Shah, who led the BJP’s campaign in Delhi, acknowledged that hate speeches by party leaders may have contributed to the BJP’s poor performance.