NEW DELHI, Nov 30: A man claimed to be a BJP activist, was arrested after he threw liquid on the Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal when he had taken out a padyatra in Greater Kailash Assembly constituency of South Delhi, on Saturday,
Mr Kejriwal has been doing padyatras in different parts of Delhi ahead of Delhi Assembly election due in February. A police source said the man, involved in the incident has been detained.
Kejriwal was holding a foot march in Delhi’s Greater Kailash area and was greeting people standing behind a cordon when an individual approached him and splashed some liquid on him, following which the security personnel swiftly overpowered him. Kejriwal and the security personnel accompanying him were later seen wiping their faces.
The police identified the attacker as Ashok Jha who works as a bus marshal at Khanpur Depot. The police said Jha attempted to throw water on Kejriwal, but was immediately caught as the police staff was in close proximity along with the barricaded ropes.
“During Arvind Kejriwal’s Padyatra under Malviya Nagar PS area, at around 05:50 PM, while shaking hands with the public, suddenly, a person namely Ashok Jha attempted to throw water on Arvind Kejriwal, but he was immediately caught as the police staff was nearby along with ropes. The said attempt was foiled and the person was detained. The alleged person is serving as a Bus Marshal at Khanpur Depot. Further examination of the person is in progress to find out the reasons behind this act,” the Delhi Police said.
But the AAP said the arrested person belonged to the BJP. “The goon who attacked Kejriwal ji today is directly linked to the BJP,” senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a post on social media platform X.
“Kejriwal was attacked by BJP during his march for raising questions on the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi. Amit Shah’s failure has once again become public knowledge, there is no rule of law in Delhi but the rule of BJP goons. If a former Chief Minister is not safe in the country’s capital, then what will happen to the common man? Delhi’s law and order situation has completely collapsed under BJP rule,” the party claimed.
Mr Bharadwaj has warned the saffron party of the consequences if something happens to Kejriwal. While sharing an image of the alleged attacker, Bhardwaj claimed that the former is directly linked with the BJP. He further claimed that the attacker wanted to set Kejriwal on fire after throwing spirit on him during his Padyatra campaign.
“A man threw spirit on him (Kejriwal). We could smell it. And there was an attempt to burn him (Kejriwal) alive. “The man was carrying spirit in one hand and a matchbox in the other hand. He threw spirit that fell on Kejriwal and me… but he could not start the fire. Our alert volunteers and the public caught him,” Bharadwaj claimed in a press conference.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said in a tweet, “Today in broad daylight, a BJP worker attacked Arvind Kejriwal ji. The BJP is feeling very nervous about losing the Delhi elections for the third time. BJP leaders, people of Delhi will take revenge for such cheap acts. Last time they got 8 seats, this time Delhi people will give zero seats to the BJP.”
The saffron party refuted the AAP’s claims saying that this was pre-planned PR stunt of the AAP itself in a bid to gain sympathy. BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said these were the baseless allegations to defame the BJP.
BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said such incidents tend to happen when any political leader takes out any foot march. Although, she condemned the attack, she said that people are upset with AAP government because people are enraged because the streets are broken, drains are overflowing and the pollution level is high.
“Whenever a leader goes for a Padyatra, he comes in a very close proximity with the people. Hence, such incidents happen even after strong security. But it is the mistake of that person. He should have asked his question instead of doing this. The people are enraged because the streets are broken, drains are overflowing and the pollution level is high… The Delhi government has failed to fulfil the huge promises it made. The people are losing their patience but I request the people to speak through their votes instead… The police should take action against that person…” Mr Sehrawat said.
Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that the incident of throwing liquid on Mr Kejriwal is “old wine in a new bottle.” “Elections are held across the country, and leaders, whether good or bad, participate in campaigns under varying levels of security. However, such bizarre incidents occur only with Arvind Kejriwal during every Assembly election,” he said.
“The Delhi BJP condemns all forms of violent protests. However, our (Delhi) President Virendra Sachdeva had already remarked that Arvind Kejriwal, now desperate, would orchestrate another old-new spectacle, much like the past “slap incident.” Today, that suspicion has been proven true,” he added.
(Manas Dasgupta)
