In the midst of a burgeoning political controversy surrounding her alleged assault, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal has sharply criticized the party’s recent protest march. Maliwal took aim at the demonstration, suggesting that those who once rallied for justice for the victim of the infamous 2012 Delhi gangrape are now rallying to protect an accused.
Taking to social media platform X, Swati Maliwal drew a stark comparison, stating, “There was a time when [we] hit the streets to get justice for Nirbhaya. Twelve years later, they are hitting the streets to save an accused who deleted CCTV footage and formatted the phone.”
The controversy stems from allegations against Bibhav Kumar, a former personal secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the main accused in the assault case involving Swati Maliwal. Delhi Police suspect Kumar of tampering with CCTV footage at the Chief Minister’s residence to destroy evidence and have noted his alleged deletion of phone data. Following his arrest, Kumar remains in police custody.
In her online statement, Swati Maliwal also voiced a sentiment of what-could-have-been, suggesting that the incident might have been averted had Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister, not been in jail. Sisodia, a prominent figure within the AAP, has been incarcerated for over a year in connection with a money laundering case linked to the city’s now-defunct liquor policy.
The assault allegations against Bibhav Kumar, wherein Maliwal claims she was slapped multiple times and kicked during a visit to the Chief Minister’s residence on May 13, have drawn condemnation from within and outside the party. AAP MP Sanjay Singh previously stated that the Chief Minister’s aide had misbehaved with Maliwal and assured that Kejriwal would take decisive action.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has condemned the incident, labeling it as “shameful” and urging Kejriwal to address the matter directly, given his presence at the scene. Delhi BJP chief Sachdeva emphasized the importance of supporting the assaulted woman and welcomed the investigation against Kumar, expressing hope for stringent action.
In response to Atishi’s allegations implicating the BJP in a conspiracy against Maliwal, AAP has pointed to a case filed by the BJP’s Anti-Corruption Bureau regarding alleged irregularities in the recruitment of contractual employees in the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi accused the BJP of involving Maliwal in a political vendetta through this case.
Kejriwal, for his part, has announced a protest march to the BJP headquarters, condemning what he perceives as a pattern of targeting AAP leaders. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of orchestrating the incarceration of AAP members and warned of further actions against his party.
The political imbroglio surrounding Maliwal’s assault allegations underscores the deepening rift between AAP and the BJP, with both sides trading accusations and positioning themselves for a protracted confrontation.
Read all the World News, Business News, Sports News, Entertainment News, Business News and Opinion here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
