Following a fresh spat between the AAP and Swati Maliwal over a video that was posted online earlier today showing the Rajya Sabha MP fighting with security guards, Atishi responded.
On Friday night, the Aam Aadmi Party and Swati Maliwal engaged in a fierce back-and-forth over the latter’s allegations that Arvind Kejriwal’s assistant, Bibhav Kumar, “slapped seven times and kicked in the stomach” during her visit to the Chief Minister’s house.
At a news conference, AAP leader Atishi launched a scathing assault on Ms. Maliwal, accusing her of working with the Bharatiya Janata Party to undermine the party ahead of the general election.
Shortly after, Ms. Maliwal reacted on X (previously Twitter), accusing her claimed attacker, Bibhav Kumar, of being a “goon” who had coerced the party into hitting her.
“If I get arrested, I will reveal all of my secrets.” This goon—which is seen as a reference to Mr. Kumar—is threatening the party. He is thus roving throughout Lucknow and elsewhere in search of safety.” Maliwal tweeted.
“Today, the party caved in to his pressure. My reputation was called into question to save a goon, but I don’t care; I’ve been battling by myself for the country’s women, and I’ll fight for myself too.”
“Do character assassination; the truth will come when the time comes!”
Atishi had already mentioned a 52-second video of Monday’s altercation between Ms. Maliwal and employees at Mr. Kejriwal’s house. In it, she is heard and briefly seen shouting with the guards, who keep asking her to leave the property. The lady in the video, who is thought to be Ms. Maliwal, challenges the guards to physically eject her and threatens them with police action if they don’t comply.
The AAP politician claimed the video revealed “plans” made by the BJP to harm Mr. Kejriwal, who was freed on bail last week following his detention in March on corruption allegations, days before the Delhi Lok Sabha election. Ms. Maliwal has stated that the film is being seen out of context.
Atishi asserted that the Delhi Chief Minister’s rising popularity and his standing in the national political system had compelled the “rattled” saffron party to take this action. She called Ms. Maliwal the “face and pawn of this conspiracy” and said the BJP was in collusion with her.
“The BJP has been uneasy ever since Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail. This led the BJP to devise a plot, as a result of which, on May 13 in the morning, Swati Maliwal was dispatched to Arvind Kejriwal’s home. They meant to charge the Chief Minister, but he wasn’t present at the time, so he was spared,” the woman stated.
Atishi said, “Swati Maliwal was the face and pawn of this conspiracy.”
Atishi mentioned the Monday video, stating that the 52-second footage demonstrated how untrue Ms. Maliwal’s claims were. “In her complaint to the police, she said she was assaulted, but the video, which shows her sitting comfortably and threatening officials also shows her threatening Bibhav Kumar.”
“Her clothes were not torn, and there was no injury to her head.” Retaliating to Ms. Maliwal’s allegations that she was frequently kicked, smacked, and sustained injuries, Atishi asserted.
As the back and forth between the two sides intensifies, Ms. Maliwal has not yet responded.
In her first public statement on the controversy on Thursday, Ms. Maliwal wrote on X, “The last few days have been very difficult,” and demanded that those who had allegedly attacked her face consequences.
“‘Political Hitman’ Vs ‘Truth Of Swati Maliwal'”
Following a fresh spat between Ms. Maliwal and the AAP over a video that was posted online today, Atishi responded.
The video was leaked by Bibhav Kumar in an attempt to “save himself,” and Ms. Maliwal called him a “political hitman.” The AAP, on the other hand, merely reposted the video with the brief caption, “The truth of Swati Maliwal.”
The party has also denied rumors that the Chief Minister had called Ms. Maliwal to a meeting; Atishi clarified this evening that Mr. Kejriwal was, in fact, not at home.
Based on Ms. Maliwal’s testimony on Thursday, Atishi also verified that Mr. Kumar, who is charged with assault and criminal intimidation, had submitted a countercomplaint.
In addition to being a political dispute, the whole incident surfaced on Monday. The AAP and Mr. Kejriwal have been the target of the BJP’s delighted attacks ahead of the vote for Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha seats.
Leading the BJP’s attack this morning was Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who demanded that Mr. Kejriwal apologize and called him “shameless” for keeping up his relationship with Bibhav Kumar.
The Congress, which is supporting the AAP in this race, has been more silent. The only prominent member of the party to speak out is senior politician Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who stated that although she would support any woman who reported being assaulted, this dispute is an internal AAP affair.
In response to repeated calls for his resignation, Mr. Kejriwal, whose bail expires on June 2, has remained silent on the subject and has instead directed his attention toward his party’s Lok Sabha election campaign.
