BJP moves EC against AAP's Kumar Vishwas, Bedi files complaint

The BJP Saturday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against AAP leader Kumar Vishwas for allegedly making a "derogatory" remark against its chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, prompting her to lodge a police complaint against Vishwas.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Satish Upadhyay, Meenakshi Lekhi, Shazia Ilmi, Shaina NC, among others, went to the poll panel's office and filed a complaint against him.

"We moved the Election Commission against Vishwas and sought strict action...," Upadhyay said.

At a recent rally, Kumar Vishwas allegedly said: "Two problems the BJP has with Arvind Kejriwal. One is that he wears a muffler... Has he stolen it from you? One of them says he (Kejriwal) coughs a lot..... What is your problem? Do you have to sleep with him in his bedroom?"

However, Kumar Vishwas said his remark at a rally where AAP chief Kejriwal was also present was not directed at Bedi, but the BJP claimed he was targeting her.

Vishwas said whatever remarks he made were targeted at the BJP and not Bedi.

"I am surprised that channels are not showing this video. There were cameras of so many channels. There was an Election Commission camera too... when they do not have any issue they are spreading such things," he said.

He challenged Bedi and the BJP to prove that these remarks were targeted at Bedi.

Bedi in a series of tweets expressed her anguish over the remarks.

"Absolutely derogatory, sexist remarks, illegal photoshopped images communicating wrong messaging. It is this unethical, toxic, perverse and uncivil practices that we need to eliminate from our system."

In another tweet, she asked: "What kind of security and dignity can women expect from AAP's leadership that itself has blatant sexist and perverse mindsets?"

She said a police complaint has been lodged over the remark.

"A police complaint has been lodged against Kumar Vishwas' sexist comments at a recent rally in the presence of their leadership," she tweeted.

Ilmi, a former AAP leader who recently joined the BJP, said that apart from the derogatory remark, the BJP has also raised other issues with the commission. "AAP has been flouting Election Commission's norms and we filed a complaint on other issues also. We sought strict action," she said.

BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also called AAP "anti-women".