Delhi's chief minister, Rekha Gupta, was reportedly hit by a man during a public meeting held at her home on Wednesday, according to police. According to the first reports, the attacker, who is thought to be about 35-years-old, was holding a bag when he suddenly walked up to the Chief Minister.
At that moment, the Chief Minister was surrounded by many people, and the attacker then attacked him. Officials said the man, thought to be in his mid-30s to early 40s, first gave some papers to Gupta, then started shouting and yelling, and then hit her. He was quickly overwhelmed and arrested by the authorities.
The first questioning has shown that the person accused is named Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya and lives in Rajkot. The police stated that he is still being held and will undergo further questioning to find out why he did what he did.
"A man, believed to be around 35-years-old, handed over a document before suddenly attacking the Chief Minister. While it is not yet clear if he is affiliated with any political party, his remarks prior to the assault suggested that he may be linked to a party discontent with its position in Delhi," said BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar.
Delhi BJP leader Virendraa Sachdeva also talked about the incident, saying the attacker tried to grab the Chief Minister's hand during the meeting, which caused a struggle where her head might have hit a corner. He said the police are looking into who the man is and why he did what he did, and doctors have said Gupta is okay but he's very shocked.
Sachdeva said that Gupta is still focused on doing her daily work and participating in Jan Sunwai meetings, describing her as a "strong woman with a clear commitment to Delhi." He also rejected the idea that a stone or a slap had happened, saying those claims were wrong. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa strongly condemned the incident, calling it a "conspiracy by rivals."
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He said, "She worries for Delhi day and night." They don't like it when a CM stays in the public eye for a long time or visits people at her home. It looks like there's some political stuff going on behind this. Delhi Police is looking into the matter, and all the facts will be revealed.
Another strong condemnation came from Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra, who described the assault as an "unforgivable crime." He said, "A woman, a daughter, who is dedicated day and night solely to the service of Delhi - those who attack her and those who orchestrate it are both cowards and criminals. Such criminals do not have the courage to engage in discussion based on logic and facts. Shameful and condemnable."
Anjali, who was present at the spot, said, "This is wrong. Everyone has the right to Jan Sunwai. If an imposter can slap her, this is a big deal... I was there... The person was speaking and he suddenly slapped. Police have taken him away."
Police said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) has reached the Chief Minister's residence and an inquiry into the incident is underway.
Reacting to the incident, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said, "This is very unfortunate. CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes women's safety. If the CM of Delhi is not safe, how can a common man or common woman be safe?"
Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP MLA Atishi also condemned the attack, calling it "highly condemnable." She said that while democracy allows space for disagreement and protest, "there is no place for violence." Atishi expressed hope that the Delhi Police will take the strictest action against the culprits and wished for the Chief Minister's complete safety.
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