As the Delhi Assembly elections draw nearer, a fresh controversy has erupted over an alleged attack on the convoy of Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, during his door-to-door campaign in the New Delhi Assembly constituency.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked a war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with both parties making serious claims against each other.
According to AAP, the convoy was attacked by BJP supporters while Kejriwal was campaigning in the constituency.
The party released a video showing a stone allegedly being thrown at the vehicle, claiming that the BJP had orchestrated the attack in an attempt to disrupt the AAP’s campaign. AAP leaders have accused BJP members of resorting to violent tactics to stop Kejriwal from continuing his work.
In a social media post, AAP stated, "BJP candidate Pravesh Verma's goons attacked Arvind Kejriwal with stones while he was campaigning and tried to hurt him so that he could not campaign. BJP people, Kejriwal ji is not going to be scared of your cowardly attack, the people of Delhi will give you a befitting reply."
The video also showed individuals waving black flags, which AAP believes were part of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the event.
Reacting strongly to the incident, AAP leader Manish Sisodia accused the BJP of sending goons to target Kejriwal. He described the attack as an act of cowardice and lower-level politics, claiming that the BJP’s actions stemmed from panic.
"The Bharatiya Janata Party is a party of panicked cowards! If you don’t have the courage to counter Arvind Kejriwal’s work, you resort to sending your goons to attack him," said Sisodia. He further warned the BJP that the public would respond to such tactics in the coming elections.
However, the BJP countered AAP's claims with its own version of events. Parvesh Verma, BJP MP and the party’s candidate from the New Delhi constituency, shared a video on social media alleging that Arvind Kejriwal’s convoy had run over two people during the campaign.
Verma claimed that two youngsters were injured and taken to Lady Hardinge Hospital after being hit by Kejriwal’s car.
He accused the AAP chief of disregarding people's lives in the face of his party’s impending defeat. Verma also expressed his intention to visit the hospital to ensure the injured were being cared for.
The controversy surrounding the incident has been further complicated by conflicting statements from the Delhi Police. Sources within the police force have denied AAP's accusations, stating that no attack took place.
According to the police, the situation arose when BJP workers attempted to engage with Kejriwal during a public meeting at Lal Bahadur Sadan. This led to a verbal exchange between the two groups, which eventually escalated into slogan shouting.
To manage the situation, the police intervened and dispersed the individuals involved to prevent further tension.
This latest development comes as the New Delhi constituency braces itself for a fierce electoral battle in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, set for February 5.
The seat, considered a high-stakes battleground, will see Arvind Kejriwal contesting for re-election as the Chief Minister.
The BJP has fielded Parvesh Verma, a prominent political figure and son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, while Congress has nominated Sandeep Dikshit, son of the late Sheila Dikshit, to contest from the seat.
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