"Action Against Arvind Kejriwal Aide": AAP Leader On Swati Maliwal Row
Delhi Police confirmed they received calls from within Arvind Kejriwal's residence - from a phone number registered to Swati Maliwal - alerting them to the harassment.
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New Delhi: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was harassed by party boss Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant - he "misbehaved" with her at the Delhi Chief Minister's city residence - Sanjay Singh said Tuesday afternoon, a day after unconfirmed reports said she had been assaulted by the staffer in question.
Mr Singh called the incident "highly condemnable" and said Chief Minister Kejriwal - who has been hammered by rivals BJP, and on-paper allies Congress, since the news broke, "will take strict action".
Ms Maliwal has not yet commented on the incident.
"Yesterday, (Swati) Maliwal went to meet Arvind Kejriwal at
his residence. While she was waiting, in the drawing room, Bibhav Kumar (the
Chief Minister's PA) misbehaved with her. This is a highly condemnable
incident. Mr Kejriwal has taken cognisance and will take strict action..."
Mr Singh said.
This confirmation of the shocking incident - coming over a day
after it took place - has drawn an immediate attack from the BJP. The party's
Delhi boss, Virendra Sachdeva ranted to NDTV, "Why were they silent for 36
hours? Where was the Chief Minister? A Rajya Sabha MP... that too a woman...
was misbehaved with at Mr Kejriwal's home and you are taking cognisance only
now?"
"It is shameful. Action should be taken..." he declared.
He also claimed political pressure has stopped Ms Maliwal, so far,
from filing a police case.
The AAP faced an avalanche of criticism Monday - and is bracing
for more attacks today, following Mr Singh's statement - after it was reported
that Ms Maliwal - who was Chairperson of the Delhi Commission till she quit to
join politics - was assaulted inside the Chief Minister's home.
The BJP's Arvinder Singh Lovely, a recent recruit from the
Congress, declared, "If Swati Maliwal has been treated like this... it is
condemnable and shameful. Those who talk about guarantees cannot guarantee
women's safety in their own homes. This raises questions on the
administration."
The issue has also been picked up by the National Commission for
Women, which said it will probe the incident and has also demanded an 'action-taken'
report from Delhi Police within 72 hours.
Delhi Police confirmed they received calls from within Mr
Kejriwal's residence - from a phone number registered to Ms Maliwal - alerting
them to the harassment.
The caller, though, did not identify themselves.
The cops later said Ms Maliwal appeared at the police station in
the Civil Lines area, where Mr Kejriwal's official residence is located - but
left without filing a formal complaint.
"At 9.34 am (on Monday), we received a call... the caller
said she had been assaulted in the Chief Minister's residence. After some time,
Swati Maliwal came to the police station (but) she left without a
complaint," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Delhi North) MK Meena told
reporters.
The entire incident spawned a political row inside the Delhi
municipal corporation's offices this morning, with BJP and Congress councillors
demanding action and calling on Mr Kejriwal to quit.
Slogans such as "Swati Maliwal ko insaaf do" (Justice
for Swati Maliwal), and "Kejriwal istifa do" (Kejriwal, resign) were
raised by the councillors as they stalled the beginning of proceedings.
That the BJP, which has also demanded the Chief Minister resign
over his alleged role in the liquor policy scam - in connection with which he
was arrested and jailed in March - is unsurprising.
That the Congress has reacted so sharply has raised eyebrows,
given the two parties are members of the INDIA bloc challenging the BJP and
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, and are supposed
to mount a united fight for the national capital's seven seats.
The fresh flashpoint between the AAP and the BJP comes as the two
are locked in confrontation over Mr Kejriwal and the alleged Delhi liquor
policy case. The Enforcement Directorate, which arrested the Chief Minister,
has claimed the party received bribes of ₹ 100 crore for sales
licences, and that this money was used to fund election campaigns in Goa and
Punjab. Mr Kejriwal and the AAP have denied all charges; they have accused the
BJP of a "political vendetta" ahead of the general election.
Last week Mr Kejriwal received bail from the Supreme Court. He has
been released - to allow him to campaign for the AAP - till June 1, and must
surrender to Delhi's Tihar Jail by June 2.
News is originally taken from: https://bit.ly/3ybtRzd
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