Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday alleged that the BJP was responsible for the attack on him during a roadshow and claimed he was targeted because he had been lately questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "relationship" with Pakistan.
The AAP supremo, during a press conference held at the party headquarters, said this was not only an attack on him but also an assault on the people of Delhi and the mandate they had given.
The BJP rubbished the claim as Kejriwal's "propaganda".
Kejriwal said, "This is the ninth attack on me and fifth one since I took charge as the chief minister of Delhi. And, for any attack on me in the future, the BJP will be responsible."
"They (BJP) do not want a common man to enter politics so we are being targeted. Our only fault is that we have tried to bring development in Delhi, in education, health and other sectors. They are feeling insecure that people in other states might start asking questions to the party on such real issues," he said.
Kejriwal was slapped allegedly by a disgruntled AAP supporter during a roadshow in Moti Nagar on Saturday.
Also Read
"For this attack on me, the BJP and Prime Minister Modi are responsible. The response from the police after the incident was scripted. The police is not responsible for this, they were merely following the 'script' given by the ruling party," he alleged.
"The people of Delhi will take revenge for this act," Kejriwal said.
He also dismissed the charge that the attacker was an AAP supporter as claimed by police.
AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj, who was also present during the press conference, said, "We have investigated from our end, and he is not from our party, as claimed by police."
The AAP rejects all the charges levelled by police in response to this incident, instead of taking needed action against the culprit.
"It was cognisable offence, and this is a person holding a constitutional post of CM. Will police take action against the accused when he files a complaint," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.
However, in its response, a Delhi Police spokesperson on Sunday said Delhi Police is a professional force and levelling such allegations is incorrect. The force provides security to several political leaders in the utmost professional way.
Kejriwal hitting out at the Centre, alleged that "signs of a dictator" can be seen in such circumstances, "but we will not be cowed down by it, and our voices shall not be silenced".
"I also wondered what have I said in the last few days that may have angered some people. And I realised in various interviews to media, I have questioned the link between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan. In last 70 years or so, no premier of the neighbouring country has said that a particular candidate should win and become the PM again. What is going on," he said.
Kejriwal also attacked Modi over handling of the Pathankot terror attack issue, saying, "Pakistan's ISI was invited to the air base, and then Modiji claims as if only in his tenure surgical strikes took place."
"No PM has insulted the glory of the armed forces in last 70 years than PM Modi," Kejriwal alleged.
"And for this attack happening on me, a chief minister no less, and police doing nothing, he should rather resign," he said.
Delhi Police said Saturday that preliminary interrogation has revealed that 33-year-old Suresh, a scrap dealer in the area, was a supporter of the AAP and he used to work as organiser of its rallies and meetings.
An inquiry by a DCP-level officer has been ordered to find out how this person was allowed to be in the reception/proximate group, Additional PRO, Delhi Police Anil Mittal had said.
Rejecting the chief minister's allegations, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the man who had attacked Kejriwal had himself said he was an AAP worker.
"These kind of attacks have happened with him 10 times. Every time this is his method. Whenever he is behind, he gets himself attacked. That is his propaganda," he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly BJP's Vijender Gupta, at a separate press conference here, alleged Kejriwal was "doing drama" to boost his election campaign.
He is trying to give the incident a political angle to gain sympathy even though the attacker was a disgruntled AAP worker, Gupta said.
Gandhi Nagar lawmaker Anil Bajpai, who recently joined the BJP, was also present at the press conference and claimed that he left the AAP due to Kejriwal's alleged policy of appeasement of a minority community for "political gains".
Former Delhi chief minister and Congress's candidate from North-East Delhi Sheila Dikshit condemned the attack and said, "Such attacks should not happen no matter who is the leader."
Kejriwal, during the press conference also said, he wanted to "appeal to all 'Modi bhakts' out there to not put any person above the country".
"I want to tell them, as many of them are misguided, that keep your eyes and ears open, and don't make anyone, above your country," he said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
