New Delhi: In what seems to be a homecoming of accountability in the Delhi BJP, after running an extremely contentious and vitriolic campaign in the recent Delhi Assembly polls, the state president of the party Manoj Tiwari on Saturday said that the statements made by senior party leaders and some candidates amounted to hate speech. "Whatever the context, it was hate speech and our party had to face losses due to that," he said while interacting with journalists at a platform meant for exchanging ideas on current affairs. Tiwari admitted that during their campaign, "there were hate speeches and we do not support them". Elaborating on the BJPs campaign in the Assembly polls of the Capital, Tiwari explained that whenever the hate speech from their side, they condemned it and did the same with "hate speeches given by protesters or people sitting in Shaheen Bagh". Moreover, when asked about his view on fellow MP Parvesh Verma calling CM Arvind Kejriwal a terrorist and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar defending it, the Delhi BJP chief said that Vermas comments were condemned by all leaders of the party, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. And as far as Javadekars remarks defending Vermas comments at a press conference was concerned, Tiwari said, "Whatever the context, it was hate speech and our party had to face losses due to that. We condemned that speech then as well as today." The North East Delhi MP also said that politicians who make hate speeches should be barred from contesting polls altogether. He was responding to questions about BJP candidate Kapil Mishras pro-CAA rally where he first popularised the "desh ke gaddaron ko goli maaro saalo ko" slogan, when he said, "It did not come to my knowledge when he raised the slogan. I want those who make such hate speeches to be permanently removed. Let us start a system where people who give hate speeches lose their legal right (to fight polls). And if such a system is put in place, I, as an individual and not as party president, will support it." Of course, Tiwari added that such restrictions should also apply to politicians like Amanatullah Khan (AAP) or Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM).

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