BJP criticizes Arvind Kejriwal's silence on Swati Maliwal assault, calls for resignation

The controversy around an alleged attack on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence erupted on May 13. The Delhi Police received two calls from Maliwal, who claimed she was assaulted by Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal’s private secretary. The BJP has since criticized Kejriwal for his silence on the incident, with spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia demanding his resignation if he cannot address the issue. “It has been three days since the incident. Everyone expected him to act against Bibhav Kumar. If Kejriwal cannot speak up, he should resign because women in the country feel insulted,” Bhatia said.

Incident and political reactions

Maliwal, a former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, went to the Civil Lines police station but did not file a formal complaint. She has not made a public statement about the incident. AAP MP Sanjay Singh condemned the alleged assault, stating, "Swati Maliwal came to meet Kejriwal and was waiting in the drawing room when Bibhav Kumar misbehaved with her."

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Kejriwal has not commented on the matter, even during a joint appearance with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Instead, Singh counter-attacked the BJP, pointing out incidents like the disrobing of a Kargil hero's wife in Manipur and the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on these issues. Singh also mentioned the case of Prajwal Revanna, a BJP ally, who allegedly committed multiple assaults on women.

AAP’s response and call for accountability

Singh highlighted how Swati Maliwal supported women wrestlers protesting for justice at Jantar Mantar and was mistreated by the police. He compared this to other incidents like the Kuldeep Sengar case in Unnao and the Hathras case, criticizing the PM’s silence. Singh asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party is united and has made its stance clear on the Maliwal issue, urging the Prime Minister and BJP to address these concerns instead of playing political games.

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