The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, 14 July welcomed a Delhi trial court's verdict convicting former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain in the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots, demanding a public apology from Arvind Kejriwal and accusing the Indian National Congress (Congress) of fuelling communal tensions through appeasement politics.

Key Developments in the Verdict

BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia stated that five individuals have been convicted in connection with the crime. According to the post-mortem report cited by Bhatia, Ankit Sharma's body bore 51 stab wounds — Sharma was killed while discharging his official duties as an IB officer. The verdict, Bhatia said, has finally delivered justice to the slain officer and his family.

Bhatia described Tahir Hussain as someone who, at the time, was regarded as a close associate of Kejriwal within the AAP. He alleged that Hussain made inflammatory statements and carried out the attack when Sharma came before the mob while performing his official duty.

BJP's Charges Against Kejriwal and AAP

The BJP spokesperson alleged that Kejriwal had provided political patronage to Tahir Hussain and demanded that Kejriwal appear before the people of Delhi and the country to apologise. Bhatia questioned why Kejriwal had allegedly attempted to shield his party colleague and asked whether the public perception — that Hussain acted at Kejriwal's behest — would ever be addressed.

Bhatia also criticised AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, who reportedly called the court's sentence 'unfortunate' and claimed that Hussain had been punished on account of his religion. The BJP characterised such remarks as an attempt to spread hatred and undermine a verdict based on evidence, material proof, and witness testimonies.

What the BJP Said About Congress and Rahul Gandhi

Bhatia alleged that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had made an inflammatory statement during the period when the riots were being planned, quoting her as having said: 'Yeh Ladai Aar-Paar Ki Ladai Hai. Ghar Se Niklo, Aar-Paar Ki Ladai Lado.' He alleged that the Congress leadership created an inflammatory atmosphere while pursuing vote-bank politics.

The BJP spokesperson also questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's decision to visit a mosque in the riot-hit area in 2020 without meeting the family of Ankit Sharma. Bhatia said Gandhi neither met the relatives of the deceased nor offered condolences. Rahul Gandhi had reportedly described the mosque visit as an effort to 'provide a healing touch.' Bhatia rejected that framing, calling it instead a 'bleeding touch' and characterising the visit as a manifestation of appeasement politics.

The Broader Political Context

The 2020 Delhi riots — which erupted in the backdrop of protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act — left over 50 people dead and hundreds injured, making them among the worst communal violence incidents in the capital in decades. The conviction of Tahir Hussain, a former AAP councillor who had already been expelled from the party, marks a significant judicial milestone in one of the riot's most high-profile cases.

Notably, this verdict arrives at a politically charged moment, with the BJP using it to draw accountability lines around both AAP and Congress ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. The opposition parties have not yet issued a formal response to the BJP's demands as of the time of reporting.

What Happens Next

With the trial court's verdict now in, the case may move toward the sentencing phase and potential appeals. The BJP has signalled it will continue pressing for political accountability from both AAP and Congress. Whether either party responds formally to the BJP's demands for an apology remains to be seen.