Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 20: In a shocking development, the Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public hearing at her residence in north Delhi’s Civil Lines area on Wednesday morning by a person who showed some papers to her and as she was absorbed in going through the same, he slapped her and then pulled her by her hair before the security personnel could overpower him.
Ms Gupta has suffered injuries to her hand and head. The police have registered an FIR against the accused of attempt to murder at Civil Lines police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said in a statement. He has also been charged with attacking and obstructing a public servant. The officer said the accused has been taken into custody and is being interrogated. Sources said the Delhi Police’s Special Cell was probing the attack on the Chief Minister.
A man, said to be in his 40s, approached the Chief Minister during a ‘Jansunwai’ and attacked her. According to preliminary information, the attacker has been identified as Rajesh Khimji Sakriya, who resided with his wife, son and parents at Gokul Park on Kotharia Road in Rajkot city in Gujarat. Sakriya’s mother Bhanuben claimed her son was an animal lover who went to Delhi to participate in a protest against the recent Supreme Court order to relocate all stray dogs from the streets of the national capital to shelters.
Bhanuben said her son was an autorickshaw driver and was not affiliated with any political party. “He loves dogs, cows and birds. That is why he was upset after the SC said all the stray dogs in Delhi should be captured. He went to Haridwar a few days back and then told us over the phone that he will go to Delhi to participate in protests in support of dogs,” she said. “That’s all he told us over the phone when we asked when he would return,” Bhanuben added.
The Chief Minister’s Office has described the attack as “premeditated” and part of a “well-planned conspiracy to kill her.” Rajesh was traced in a video conducting a recce of her residence in Shalimar Bagh on Tuesday night. “A CCTV footage has revealed that the attacker had begun preparations for the assault at least 24 hours in advance. The footage shows the attacker Sakriya getting down from a rickshaw with a bag, speaking to someone on the phone and recording video of the premises on August 19. The video has been handed over to the police for a thorough investigation,” it said.
Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma also confirmed that the attacker had conducted a recce of the CM’s house. “The police are investigating the mindset and motives of the attacker. We know that the attacker had been doing a recce of her house and was waiting for this morning. Today, he attacked her… The CM has sustained injuries to the head, shoulders and hands and is being treated. When he attacked the CM, he didn’t let go of her immediately; he grabbed her hair. The police and the people around tried to make him let her go,” he said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress condemned the attack on the chief minister while also questioning the police over the issue of women’s safety in the national capital. Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stressed that in a democratic system, differences of opinion and opposition are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence.
“I am confident that Delhi Police will take appropriate action. I hope the Chief Minister remains completely safe and healthy,” he said in a post on X. Condemning the attack on her successor, Atishi echoed similar views as the AAP supremo. “The attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democracy, there is space for dissent and opposition, but none for violence,” she said in a post on X. She expressed hope that Delhi Police would take the strictest action against the culprits. “I also wish that the Chief Minister is completely safe,” she added in the post.
Former Delhi Minister and AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said all parties should unequivocally condemn such acts. “There is no place for violence in a democracy. We fully slam this incident. Whenever former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was attacked, BJP spokespersons said that people were angry and hence the incidents happened. We are showing a big heart. The people of Delhi are unhappy with Gupta but violence is not the solution. Any kind of violence is not justified,” he said.
Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav criticised the attack and called it extremely sad. “It is condemnable that the Chief Minister was attacked. This also exposes the fact that women are not safe in Delhi. People come here for safety. The police should wake up and address the issue of women’s safety,” he added.
Senior BJP leader Harish Khurana said, “One person present at the meeting attacked the Chief Minister. We condemn the attack. It should be investigated if this attack was politically motivated.” Eyewitnesses have said the attacker came with some papers and approached the Chief Minister. He was talking to her and suddenly attacked her. The BJP has said it suspected a political conspiracy behind the attack. Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said rivals cannot tolerate the Chief Minister’s work on the ground and an investigation was on to find out who was behind the attacker.
According to sources in the Delhi Police, an inquiry will be conducted to find what led to this big security breach. Delhi Police Commissioner SBK Singh will monitor this probe.