New Delhi: A day after reports surfaced of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal being harassed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant at the CM's residence, senior party leader Sanjay Singh said the incident is "highly condemnable" and party does not support it. Singh said that Kejriwal himself has taken the incident seriously and will take strict action.
"Swati Maliwal had reached CM's residence on Monday morning to meet him. She was waiting for Kejriwal in the drawing room when Bibhav Kumar came there and misbehaved with her. CM has taken cognizance of the incident and will take strict action against the accused. Swati Maliwal is our old friend and has fought for the respect of women. The party is with her and does not support people who misbehave," Singh said.
Former Delhi Women Commission chairperson and MP Maliwal had alleged on Monday that Kejriwal's PA misbehaved with her at the CM's residence. Her allegation sparked a political row and AAP came under criticism from Opposition parties. BJP leaders, claiming to be on Maliwal's side, demanded Kejriwal's arrest. A few days ago, Supreme Court granted bail to Kejriwal to allow him to campaign till June 1 and asked him to surrender by June 2.
Presently, Swati Maliwal's case is being investigated by Delhi Police, who have reportedly confirmed having received a complaint of harassment over phone from a number traced to Maliwal.
Maliwal on Monday went to the Civil Lines Police Station and alleged that a member of the Delhi chief minister's personal staff "assaulted' her at the chief minister's official residence, police officials had said.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the AAP's silence regarding the incident on Monday reflects the mentality of the party. "Sanjay Singh's statement that the party will take action in the matter is quite embarrassing..." he said. Sachdeva said instead of deciding after violence against a woman, arrests should have been made immediately.
"Sanjay Singh claims that Arvind Kejriwal was not there at the time, but the BJP knows through sources that this entire incident occurred at the behest of and in front of Arvind Kejriwal," he alleged. The Delhi BJP president questioned why so much pressure was put on Maliwal and why she was silenced.
He said that the Chief Minister's residence is famous for such incidents, whether it was the incident with the former chief secretary or misbehaviour with Maliwal. In February 2018, the then Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash, had alleged that he was assaulted by AAP MLAs at Kejriwal's residence in the presence of the chief minister and Manish Sisodia, who was then the deputy chief minister.
According to a police officer, they can initiate action in the matter if the complainant herself comes to the police station and formally files a case or emails a complaint to police. In case, the victim puts out a post on social media, the police can also take cognisance of this, the officer said. (with agency inputs)
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