Irony Died A Thousand Deaths: Swati Maliwal Reacts to Arvind Kejriwal’s First Remark on Her Assault
23.05.2024: In his first response to the reported assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal at his official residence, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday stated that he expects a fair investigation into the matter and justice to be served.
Kejriwal’s Call for Justice
During an interview with news agency PTI, Kejriwal emphasized that the matter is currently “sub-judice,” meaning any comment from his side could potentially affect the ongoing proceedings. He stated, “I expect there will be a fair investigation. Justice should be served. There are two versions of the event. Police should investigate both versions fairly and justice should be done.”
Maliwal Dismisses Kejriwal’s Statement
In a strong response, Swati Maliwal took to social media to express her disbelief in the chief minister’s statement. She wrote, “After unleashing the entire army of leaders and volunteers at me, calling me a BJP agent, assassinating my character, leaking edited videos, victim shaming me, roaming around with the accused, letting him re-enter the crime scene and tamper evidences and protesting in favor of the accused, the Chief Minister, in whose drawing room I was beaten up, has finally said that he wants a free and fair investigation in the matter. Irony died a thousand deaths. I don’t buy this one bit.”
The Allegations and Arrest
Swati Maliwal alleged that she was “assaulted” by Kejriwal’s personal assistant, Bibhav Kumar, during a meeting with the chief minister on May 13. The police have since registered a case and arrested Kumar, who is currently under five-day police custody.
Internal Pressure Within AAP
Maliwal has further claimed that there is significant pressure within the party to tarnish her reputation. She shared, “Yesterday, I got a call from a senior leader of the party. He told me how there is a lot of pressure on everyone, they have to speak dirty things against Swati, they have to break her by leaking her personal photos. It is being said that whoever supports her will be expelled from the party. Someone has been given the duty of doing PC and someone else has been given the duty of tweeting.”
Congress Reacts to the Assault Allegation
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge commented on the situation, emphasizing that the law must take its own course. He stated, “I do not want to get into this issue. The law must take its own course. When the law is effective, people will have fear, and that is why the law must work. If Modi ji also follows the law and rules, people will not indulge in any wrong things.”
The controversy surrounding Swati Maliwal’s assault allegations against Arvind Kejriwal’s aide has sparked significant political and public reaction. As the investigation unfolds, the call for a fair and just process remains central to ensuring accountability and justice.