Kejriwal avoids question on Swati Maliwal assault allegation, Sanjay ...
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh during a press conference in Lucknow on Thursday. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday did not respond to questions about the allegations of assault levelled by Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal against his aide Bibhav Kumar.
Kumar was seen at the Lucknow airport with Kejriwal and AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday. Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were addressing a joint press conference along with Singh when they were asked about the allegations made by Swati Maliwal.
The first to respond, Akhilesh Yadav said, “Uss se zyada zaroori aur cheezein bhi hain (there are things more important than that)”, as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it.
When reporters pressed on seeking a response from Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister said Singh would respond.
On his part, Singh said, “When women wrestlers were sitting at Jantar Mantar, seeking justice, Swati Maliwal had gone there as the DCW chief in the evening to express solidarity, but the police dragged her and beat her… The AAP is our family. The party has made its position clear… Don’t play political games on this issue.”
“The whole country is shocked and pained. The wife of a soldier who fought in the Kargil war was paraded naked, and hundreds of women were brutalised, but the Prime Minister of India remained quiet… Thousands of women were raped by Prajwal Revanna (JD(S) Lok Sabha candidate), and the Prime Minister asks people to vote for him as he will strengthen India… In UP, in the matter of Kuldeep Sengar, the case in Hathras, the PM remains silent,” he also said.
On Tuesday, Singh said Bibhav Kumar misbehaved with Maliwal when went to meet Kejriwal at his house on Monday morning. He also said Kejriwal had directed strict action against Kumar.
