Fearing 'threat' to life, BJP minority morcha chief writes to Shah seeking security

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Days after a violent communal clash broke out at Jahangirpuri in north-west Delhi during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, BJP's Minority Morcha national president Jamal Siddiqui requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to provide him security cover citing 'threat' to his life.

In a letter to Shah dated April 18, Siddiqui wrote, "Fundamentalists have become my enemies since I have been working as the national president of BJP's Minority Morcha. Your department had written a letter dated October 26, 2021 to the Maharashtra government and the Delhi Police Commissioner asking them to provide proper security to me, but no security has been provided."

On April 16, clashes broke out between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession taken out in the Jahangirpuri area.

Siddiqui mentioned that fundamentalists are issuing open threats and are also pressuring him to work for some other party, leaving the BJP.

"Today, fundamentalist Muslims want to break the society by orchestrating riots. A lot of pressure is being put on me by people with fundamentalist ideologies to leave the BJP and work for some other party. I may lose my life if I fail to do so. They are openly giving threats," he wrote.

Siddiqui requested Shah to provide him adequate security cover to work in such adverse situations.

In the past also, Siddiqui had requested Shah and the Union Home Ministry to provide security to him. Last year on June 25, Siddiqui had written to the Home Minister citing his security concerns.

On August 10, 2021, he had requested the Home Ministry to provide security cover to him due to constant threats from fundamentalists.

Acting on his request, the Home Ministry had written to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary last year, saying: "The request of Siddiqui has been examined by the ministry in consultation with the central security agencies. As per their report, there is no specific threat to him. However, a general threat to him from fundamentalist elements cannot be ruled out.

"The state government of Maharashtra and Delhi Police are requested to suitably address the security concern of Siddiqui, based on local threat perception."

It is learnt that the Maharashtra government provided security cover to Siddiqui in Nagpur only.