Upping the ante, the BJP on Friday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party on the alleged assault on Rajya MP Swati Maliwal and asked why Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was silent on the matter. She said if a woman MP is not safe in the CM’s residence, then what about women security in Delhi.

Addressing a press conference at party headquarters here, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Kejriwal was “shamelessly” visiting Lucknow with his Personal Assistant Bibhav Kumar, who is accused of thrashing Maliwal, for a meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

”I demand Delhi CM Kejriwal speak on the Maliwal issue and apologise,” she said, adding that it was shameful that CM Kejriwal was seen with Bibhav Kumar.

“The fact that Swati Maliwal did not register a complaint in Police for 3-4 days (after the incident) means that there was pressure on her from high-level. There is reason to believe that there was enough pressure on her and probably continues on her,” she said.

Sitharaman said, “…The women in Delhi are asking – can this CM (Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal) even provide security to the women in the city? Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for this incident…”

Meanwhile, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal arrived at Tis Hazari Court in Delhi.

An FIR was registered in connection with the assault on her yesterday after she filed a complaint with the Police. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar has been named in the FIR.

Breaking her silence over the alleged misconduct with her at the official residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday said that she has given her statement to the police in this regard.

She has also urged the Bharatiya Janata Party not to politicise the incident.

It was three days after the alleged incident of misbehavior with her involving Kejriwal’s PA Bibhav Kumar at the Delhi CM’s official residence, she has said that the past few days have been very difficult for her. Taking to social media platform X on Thursday night, Maliwal wrote: ” What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident that happened to me. I hope that appropriate action will be taken. The last few days have been very difficult for me.”

She has also expressed that there are elections going on in the country, and the issues of the nation hold more importance than her.

The BJP leaders have been slamming the AAP and its leader Kejriwal following the incident questioning as to when their own party leader was not safe at CM house, then how will they ensure the safety of women in Delhi.

It was on Monday morning that Maliwal had reached the Civil Lines police station after the police received a PCR call regarding an alleged assault that took place at the CM residence. However, she did not file any formal complaint in this regard at that time and had left the police station.

| On AAP MP #SwatiMaliwal 'assault' case, BJP leader and Union Finance Minister #NirmalaSitharaman says, "…The women in Delhi are asking – can this CM (Delhi CM) even provide security to the women in the city?..”#ArvindKejriwal #Delhi #BibhavKumar #TheStatesman pic.twitter.com/KLH4Rt9VeI

— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) May 17, 2024