Riot chargesheet details Kapil Mishra questioning: ‘Didn’t give speech, told police about plan for dharna’

In a video tweeted by him on February 23 — a day before riots broke out in Northeast Delhi — Mishra can be seen addressing a pro-CAA gathering near the Maujpur traffic signal and standing next to DCP (North East) Ved Prakash Surya. He can be seen saying, “They (protesters) want to create trouble in Delhi. That’s why they have closed the roads. That;s why they have created a riot-like situation here. We have not pelted stones. The DCP is standing in front of us and on your behalf, I want to tell him that till the US President (Donald Trump) is in India, we are leaving the area peacefully. After that, we won’t listen to you (police) if the roads are not vacated by then… we will have to take to the streets.”

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The chargesheet details the questions Mishra was asked about his visit and about the YouTube video of his address.

Asked about his remarks, Mishra said he had “requested the DCP (vinti kar rahe hain)” to clear Jafrabad and Chand Bagh area of anti-CAA protesters within three days failing which he would sit on a “dharna”.

BJP leader Kapil Mishra had posted communal tweets, ahead of Delhi polls. (File)

Mishra further told police during questioning that because of the anti-CAA protesters, local residents couldn’t operate their shops and children were finding it difficult to go school. “Muslim logon ne wahan darr aur aatank ka maahol bana kar rakha tha (Muslims had created an atmosphere of terror and fear there),” is what Mishra told police, according to the police chargesheet. He further stated that even ambulances were not able to access the areas. He also told police that “Muslims had blocked the roads for the past two-three months”.

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Asked why he had visited Maujpur Chowk, he said it was because he got calls from locals and read Facebook posts about residents facing problems because of the blocked roads.

He further states that he went there alone and that he was there for just one hour. At 1.22 pm on February 23, Mishra had tweeted: “At 3 o’clock today, we will gather opposite Jafrabad at the Maujpur Chowk in response to the Jafrabad (protest) and in support of CAA. You are all welcome.”

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In the chargesheet, Mishra repeatedly mentions that he hadn’t given a speech and he was just “telling the police to clear the road in three days”. Asked whether he had visited the Northeast Delhi district prior to the riots, he said his house is situated in Yamuna Vihar, which falls in the district.

In a tweet accompanying the video on February 23, Mishra had written: “Three days ultimatum to Delhi Police — get the Jafrabad and Chand Bagh road(s) cleared, else don’t counsel us, we will not even listen to you, just three days.”

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Mishra was also asked to explain his personal observations when he visited. “Upon reaching, I was informed that stone pelting had already started around 2.45 pm and people were also running in front of me, informing me that a mob was doing stone pelting. I had spoken with DCP Surya before reaching around 3-3.30 pm,” Mishra stated.