Manoj Tiwari seeks apology from Shehzad Poonawalla over Purvanchal row

New Delhi: Former BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday criticised party colleague and spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla for losing his nerves during a debate on Republic Bharat after which he was accused of abusing people from Purvanchal.

In a video posted on X, Tiwari said, “I strongly condemn the statements of Shezad Poonawalla. He should apologise. I’m sure the party will take cognizance of the matter.”

.पूर्वांचली समाज या किसी जाति, समाज या प्रांत को अपमानित करने वाले प्रत्येक व्यक्ति के बयान की मैं कड़ी निंदा करता हूँ 🙏 pic.twitter.com/dEB6yQ4K1m

— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) January 15, 2025

The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday began playing victim despite its MLA Rituraj Jha abusing BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla as Choonawala on national television.

In a heated debate on the Republic Bharat channel on Tuesday, Jha began abusing BJP’s national spokesperson and continued to do so many times before the latter replied by saying what if I abuse you?

For AAP, which is fighting an existential battle in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, Poonawalla’s apparent warning against abuse was an abuse.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday claimed that Jha was ‘abused’ and said that they would stage a protest in this regard across Delhi.

The protest will be held on Thursday, he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP claimed that Jha, who comes from Purvanchal, was abused by Poonawalla on a national news channel on Tuesday.

Both parties are luring voters from Purvanchal.

Purvanchalis -- people from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar -- constitute a sizeable vote bank in the national capital.

Delhi will go to polls on February 5 and the results will be declared on February 8.