Nirbhaya’s mother backs Maliwal; Kejriwal claims aged parents will be interrogated

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has claimed that the police will come to interrogate his "ailing" parents on Thursday (May 23).

While he did not specify the reason, it is suspected that police will be visiting his residence in connection with the Swati Maliwal assault case.

"Tomorrow, Delhi Police will come to interrogate my old and ailing parents," he said in a post in Hindi on X.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have targeted the BJP over this, asking the party if they thought Kejriwal's parents were involved in the alleged assault.

New conspiracies against Kejriwal: Atishi

Later, addressing a press conference, AAP senior leader and Delhi cabinet minister Atishi claimed that ever since Kejriwal has come out on interim bail, "new conspiracies" are being hatched by the BJP against him.

“Now they used a cheap tactic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his Delhi Police to question Kejriwal's elderly and ailing parents," she claimed and added that the people of Delhi will respond to it with their votes.

“I want to ask the prime minister and BJP. His parents are aged around 80-85. Kejriwal's father cannot walk without support. His mother spent a long time in hospital and came back recently. Does he believe that they assaulted Maliwal? Do they think that Maliwal who was threatening police personnel as seen in a video footage was attacked by the elderly people? Have they stooped to this level that they will carry out atrocities on his parents and target him?" she said.

"Like Shravan Kumar, he took people on their pilgrimage. He has been given blessings by every elderly person for serving them. Today his parents are being subjected to such atrocities. I want to appeal to the elderly that they should respond with their votes to this cheap tactic. I want to tell BJP and the prime minister you are forgetting that Kejriwal is not just the chief minister of Delhi. He is the son of elderly people, brother of women in Delhi, and a father figure to students of Delhi government schools. BJP will not win any seat in Delhi and the INDIA bloc will win all the seven seats. People of Delhi will respond with votes," she added.

Nirbhaya’s mother stands by Maliwal

AAP MP Maliwal has alleged that she was "assaulted" by Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar when she went to meet the chief minister on May 13. The police have registered a case and arrested Kumar.

On Thursday, Maliwal found a new supporter in Asha Devi, the mother of the 2012 Delhi gangrape victim Nirbhaya.

In a video that was shared by Maliwal on her X handle, Devi said strict action should be taken against those who assaulted her at the chief minister’s residence.

In an interview with news agencies she also said that it was deplorable that a woman who spoke for the rights of other women and sought justice for Nirbhaya, was assaulted by “those in power”.

“If a Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal is not safe, then what could one expect for the safety of common women,” she said.

She also took swipes at the Delhi chief minister for allegedly not taking the issue seriously and living up to his claims of being the ‘son’ and ‘brother’ of Delhi.

“AAP came to power in Delhi, tapping on the anger and outrage of people in the Nirbhaya case. Arvind Kejriwal claimed himself to be the son of Delhi, brother of Delhi. It is time for him to walk the talk and take exemplary action,” she said.

AAP leaders pressured to speak dirty things against me: Maliwal

Meanwhile, Maliwal has claimed that several AAP leaders were being pressured to “speak dirty things” against her and leak 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. Someone's duty is to call volunteers sitting in America and get something out against me. Some beat reporters close to the accused (Bibhav Kumar) have the duty of preparing some fake sting operations," Maliwal said in a post on X.

'Irony died a thousand deaths'

In another post she also mocked Kejriwal’s earlier statement that he expects a fair investigation in the case.

“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 with evidence and protesting in favour of the accused, the chief minister, in whose drawing room I was beaten up, has finally said that he wants free and fair investigation in the matter. Irony died a thousand deaths. I don't buy this one bit,” she said.