Gurdaspur attack: Why Arvind Kejriwal is under fire

Terrorists struck Gurdaspur, Punjab, early July 27 morning, killing eight people, but Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also come under attack on the social media for the dastardly act. Given Pakistan's moral and logistical support to the cause of a separate Khalistan for decades, the neighbouring country's role in the latest attack cannot be denied. This is the reason why our neighbour is at the receiving end on social media. But even AAP is facing the heat. Here's why:

The immediate trigger for outrage against AAP is Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's tweet condemning the attack. He was trolled for stopping short of calling it a terrorist attack.

We strongly condemn cowardly attack on innocent ppl in Punjab. We are with the people of Punjab and hope that culprits wud soon be nabbed

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 27, 2015

Here's how the trolls reacted:

Gurdaspur terrorist attack is an attempt to revive Khalistan with full support of Pakistan & moral support of Arvind Kejriwal Gang

— #GauravPradhan (@DrGPradhan) July 27, 2015

@ArvindKejriwal We know you have started your election campaign in Punjab with a BANG. Gurdaspur #TerrorAttack https://t.co/cb1fPil5m6

— Miss Tiwari (@MiissTiwari) July 27, 2015

@ArvindKejriwal so you have carefully used the word "culprits" but not "terrorists" ? Why are not calling them terrorists? @mediacrooks

— digvijay (@diggi1214) July 27, 2015

@ArvindKejriwal then why were u meeting ISI backed #Khalistanis in New York during ur US visit. #Gurdaspur #punjab

— Utsav Chakrabarti (@ootzchakra) July 27, 2015

The Delhi CM, who is also the AAP convener, is considered to be a sympathiser of Khalistan Liberation Force terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, convicted of killing nine persons in a car bombing in 1993, intended to kill Congress leader Maninderjeet Singh Bitta. He had written a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee in January, 2014 requesting clemency for Bhullar. 

Kejriwal's letter was aimed at garnering support of the Sikh community for the Lok Sabha elections. His strategy seems to have paid off as AAP won four out of 13 seats in Punjab. While he got the support of the Sikhs in the Delhi elections in February, 2015, he can be accused of being soft towards the Khalistan supporters in view of the 2017 Assembly elections in Punjab. He has so far not issued any clarification regarding his stand on the demand for a separate Khalistan.

Jarnail Singh, the AAP MLA from Tilak Nagar in west Delhi, is already under the scanner for allegedly addressing a rally of Khalistan supporters in London in June, 2011. Tajinder Singh Bagga of Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena had tweeted a photograph of Jarnail Singh addressing the gathering and demanding a reply from Kejriwal over it. However, one does not know whether the Delhi CM ever replied to it.

AAP candidate Jarnail Singh addressing a Khalistan supporters Rally in London. Can @ArvindKejriwal reply on this ? pic.twitter.com/Cr4w3WgrBE

— Tajinder Pal S Bagga (@tajinderbagga) December 13, 2014

Incidentally, Jarnail is known for hurling a shoe at the then Union home minister P Chidambaram in April, 2009 to protest CBI's "clean chit" to 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler. The Tilak Nagar MLA was booked by police for manhandling an MCD engineer in April, 2015 when the latter, along with his team, had gone to demolish an illegal construction in west Delhi.

When former AAP leader Prashant Bhushan had spoken in favour of Kashmir separatists, the party said it was his personal view and steered clear of the issue. Sooner rather than later, is it not time again for AAP or Kejriwal to come out in the open to clear the suspicions lurking in the minds of the people over the party's stand on Khalistan and terrorism?