New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) BJP's Purvanchali face and North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday condemned the remarks by his party national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla against AAP MLA Rituraj Jha and said both he and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal should apologise for using objectionable words against members of the Purvanchali community.

In a video message posted on X, Tiwari said members of every party should refrain from targeting anyone for their caste, state or community.

Also Read | Mumbai Horror: Auto Driver Arrested for Raping Woman, Molesting Her 2 Minor Daughters Under Pretext of Performing Black Magic.

"I strongly condemn the words spoken by Shehzad Poonawalla (in the TV debate). No matter how much anyone provokes you, the party expects its workers to remain sensitive and maintain decorum... The party will take cognisance, I believe, and I want Shehzad Poonawalla to apologise without any further comments," he said.

At the same time, Tiwari accused AAP MP Sanjay Singh of staying quiet when Kejriwal used objectionable words against the Purvanchali community and asked if he would ask the AAP chief to apologise.

Also Read | Kasauli Gang-Rape Case: Haryana Minister Anil Vij Says Charges Against Mohan Lal Badoli 'Very Serious', BJP High Command Will Take Note.

The BJP MP stated this after Sanjay Singh, at a press conference earlier in the day, asked Tiwari why he was "silent" after the BJP spokesperson had "abused" Jha, a Maithil Brahmin MLA.

Singh said that the AAP volunteers will stage a protest against the BJP spokesperson across Delhi on Thursday.

"I want to ask BJP MP Manoj Tiwari that a Maithil Brahmin MLA has been abused...Where are you? Why are you not saying anything?" he said.

After AAP attacked him on the remarks during the TV debate, Poonawalla in a post on X alleged that the Kejriwal-led party was spreading "lies" against him and he would start a fast unto death against it.

"Dear friends, If I die - @AamAadmiParty is solely responsible for it... I am starting a fast unto death because of the lies spread against me by AAP and for my character assassination until AAP proves I abused anybody," Poonawalla said in the post.

Purvanchalis, who hail from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, roughly comprise one-third of over 1.5 crore voters in Delhi, influencing results on at least 20 Assembly constituencies. Both BJP and AAP have been trying to woo the community.

Tiwari, a famous Bhojpuri singer and film star, lauded Purvanchalis for carving out a place for themselves in Delhi through hard work, and lamented that it has become a "fashion" to use demeaning words against the community.

He referred to the TV debate featuring Poonawalla and outgoing AAP MLA from Kirari constituency Rituraj Jha.

"I heard Sanjay Singh's press conference. I condemn the remarks made by Shehzad Poonawalla... but the time has come for you (Singh) to also condemn Arvind Kejriwal's remarks," the BJP leader said.

Staying silent when Purvanchali people are called "farzi voters" by Kejriwal is not correct, Tiwari said.

Delhi BJP's media department head Praveen Shankar Kapoor, quoting Tiwari, said the Purvanchalis from UP and Bihar are an integral part of Delhi's identity like Punjabi, Vaishya, Jat and Gujjar communities.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)