Shaheen Bagh will be cleared once BJP comes to power, says Union Minister Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday asserted that the process of clearing Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of anti-CAA protest, will begin once the BJP comes to power after the February 8 Assembly polls.

The statement comes days after Thakur was banned from election campaigning due to his controversial remarks at a poll rally.

Thakur also accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia of backing the Shaheen Bagh protesters.

"When people of Delhi will cast their vote in favour of the lotus (BJP's poll symbol)... and after the results on February 11, Shaheen Bagh (protest site) will be cleared," Thakur said at an event held at the Delhi BJP office.

Thakur, who is the Minister of State in the Finance Ministry, was banned from campaigning for 72 hours after he egged on the crowd to raise an incendiary slogan — "shoot the traitors" — and lashed out at those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.