AAP faces another row as Vishwas faces allegations from woman

Party said the allegations against him were false and baseless and it was part of a defamation campaign

The Aam Aadmi Party was today grappling with yet another raging controversy after a party volunteer accused senior leader Kumar Vishwas of not rebutting "rumours" about an illicit liason with her and ruining her reputation, giving a handle to Congress and BJP to attack it.

The Delhi Commission for Women summoned Vishwas, considered close to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and his wife, asking them to appear before it tomorrow after the volunteer approached it seeking its intervention in forcing the AAP leader to dispel the allegations.

The woman, who claimed to have campaigned for Vishwas in Amethi in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, said she had also written separate letters to Kejriwal and Police Commissioner B S Bassi on the issue but neither of them have responded.

Facing the heat, Vishwas, a member of AAP's Political Affairs Committee, said the allegations against him were false and baseless and it was part of a defamation campaign against the AAP by rival parties.

DCW Chairperson Barkha Singh said, "It is the same volunteer who has been coming to us for quite some time now. He (Vishwas) should come since the complainant is his own party's volunteer. The volunteer's marriage is falling apart because of him, she has alleged."

Delhi Police said it has already registered an FIR and investigation was underway on the complaint filed by the woman.

The ruling AAP in Delhi has been battling internal strife apart from a string of controversies including over the educational qualification of its law minister and suicide of a farmer at a rally here in Jantar Mantar last month.

"The allegation against Vishwas is totally false and baseless. AAP is being targeted. There is no basis for the allegation. Please spare our families," AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, addressing a press conference.

Besides slamming Vishwas, Congress targeted Kejriwal accusing him of showing insensitivity as the victim had "knocked" at his door seeking help.

"The victim approached Chief Minister Kejriwal but he remained silent when her own party volunteer approached him for justice...Such apathetic and insensitive behaviour from him is very unfortunate," party spokesperson Shobha Oza said while demanding a thorough investigation into the issue so that the "culprits" be punished.

Delhi BJP leader Vijendra Gupta said that Vishwas and the Delhi Chief Minister should come forward to clarify.