Politics-BJP leader alleges involvement of AAP minister in Hauz Qazi incident

Former Union minister Vijay Goel Wednesday accused Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain of being involved in the vandalism of a temple in Hauz Qazi area, a charge refuted by the AAP leader who filed a police complaint against the BJP MP for his "baseless allegations". Goel, a Rajya Sabha MP and former president of BJP's Delhi unit, told reporters that when he visited the Hauz Qazi area, locals told him that Hussain "deliberately" gave "communal color" to the incident.

A mob vandalized a temple after a fight broke out between two groups over the parking of a two-wheeler in Lal Kuan area under Hauz Qazi police station on Sunday night. Four people were arrested for the trouble in the area, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik told reporters Wednesday.

"Involvement of Imran Hussain in the attack on temple raises several questions," Goel said in a press statement and pointed to the silence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the incident. Attacking AAP leaders for their alleged involvement in the incident, BJP's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari demanded that Hussain be arrested immediately.

"The AAP is vitiating the atmosphere for vote-bank politics. Its leaders have been exposed," Tiwari alleged. He appealed to all sections of society to maintain peace.

Hussain, AAP MLA from Balliamaran seat, said he had tried to pacify people on police's request. "After reaching the (police) station around 11.30 pm on that day, I appealed through a loudspeaker to people from both sides to calm down," he told PTI.

In his complaint filed at the IP Extension police station, Hussain charged Goel and BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa of spreading "rumors" and leveling "baseless allegations". Reacting to the police complaint filed against him, Goel said the Aam Aadmi Party was indulging in "appeasement" politics.

He said his allegation was based on what locals told him during his visit to the affected area.