Delhi's political atmosphere heated up on Wednesday as Swati Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP, expressed her displeasure over a social media post by Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The controversy began when Sunita Kejriwal shared a picture of Bibhav Kumar, an aide of Arvind Kejriwal, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and described the day as “a day of relief.”
This post did not sit well with Swati Maliwal, who had earlier accused Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her. The incident allegedly took place on May 13 when Maliwal visited the Chief Minister's residence. Following her complaint, Bibhav Kumar was arrested on May 18. However, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court after spending 100 days in judicial custody.
During the court hearing, the judges noted that the injuries sustained by Maliwal were minor, making it a case suitable for bail. The court emphasised that one cannot keep a person in jail under such circumstances, especially when the chargesheet has already been filed.
Maliwal did not hold back her emotions on social media. She took a direct jab at Sunita Kejriwal, expressing her disappointment in a post written in Hindi. She criticised Sunita for feeling “relieved” about the release of a man who had allegedly assaulted her in the Chief Minister’s own home. Maliwal interpreted this as a signal that those who commit such acts against women can find protection and support within the political sphere.
In her post, Maliwal voiced her concern that this incident sends a dangerous message: those who assault women will not only escape punishment but will also have powerful allies who will defend them.
She accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of using their resources to first harass and discredit the victim, and then employ top lawyers to defend the accused. Her words reflected a deep frustration with the current state of affairs, stating that it is difficult to expect respect for women from those who take comfort in seeing their attackers freed.
In another post, Maliwal shared an image from the epic Mahabharata, depicting the scene where Draupadi was disrobed, drawing a parallel between the ancient tale and her current situation.
Swati Maliwal, who was once closely aligned with the AAP, now finds herself in conflict with the party leadership. The AAP, on the other hand, has downplayed the entire incident. Delhi Minister Atishi dismissed Maliwal’s allegations, accusing her of being a pawn for the BJP.
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