Delhi elections 2015: CM talks tough on fringe groups upsetting harmony - Times of India

NEW DELHI: A substantial portion of CM Arvind Kejriwal's speech focused on the issue of communal harmony. Addressing thousands of Delhiites at Ramlila Maidan on Saturday, he said AAP's astounding victory was possible because people from all religious groups had voted for it. "Har dharam ke logon ne vote diya... garibo aur amiro ne bhi diya (people from all religions and economic classes voted for us)," he said.

The CM then directed his attack on right-wing groups, saying the AAP government will act against communal elements. "Communal politics will not work here. Delhiites will not tolerate it. People of Delhi are peace-loving," he said.

Kejriwal's remarks assume significance as of late, there has been a spate of church attacks in the city since December last year. Starting from a mysterious fire at St Sebastian's Church at Dilshad Garden two months ago to Friday's vandalism at a south Delhi school, Christian institutions have been targeted by miscreants, fuelling anxieties among minorities. Besides, the country had recently witnessed a series of "reconversion exercises", called "ghar wapsi", by right-wing groups.

"Friends, in the past few months, certain incidents have occurred in Delhi because of which the people of Delhi are extremely angry. There were attempts to spark riots between different religious communities, one church was set on fire, then some churches were attacked. Delhi's residents are peace loving people. In the past 35 years, we have not seen such incidents in Delhi," he said.

There were apprehensions among some communities when some groups suggested the removal of the words "socialist" and "secular" from the Constitution. But Kejriwal said such incidents will not be tolerated in the city. "People of Delhi—Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains—all of us celebrate Diwali, Eid, Christmas and all other festivals and would like to live peacefully with each other. I would like to address all those powers, which practice such communal politics to stop it. Delhi's people will not tolerate this," Kejriwal added.

The new CM urged Delhi Police to take the responsibility of making "every Hindu, every Muslims, every Christian, every Sikh and people of every caste feel safe".

His speech instilled a sense of safety and security in students from the northeast, many of whom are Christians. Some of them said they felt "reassured" with CM's first speech.

Muslim supporters of AAP were seen clapping and throwing their arms up in the air as Kejriwal addressed the crowd after taking the oath as CM.

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