Arvind Kejriwal accuses Amit Shah of inaction amid attacks during Padyatra, slams arrest of MLA

By Ajay Joseph | First Published Dec 1, 2024, 2:01 PM IST

AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal voiced his shock and disappointment following an attack on him during a public rally in Malviya Nagar on Saturday. A man splashed liquid on Kejriwal during his padyatra, prompting the AAP leader to raise serious concerns over the law and order situation in the national capital.

Addressing a press conference held on Sunday, Kejriwal expressed his dismay, questioning, "What was my fault?" He went on to criticise the Centre and particularly Home Minister Amit Shah for the lack of action regarding the state of law and order. "I had this expectation that Amit Shah would take some action after I raised the issue of law and order. But instead, I was attacked during my padyatra. The liquid thrown on me was harmless, but it could have been harmful," he said.

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Kejriwal linked the incident to ongoing issues of governance and law enforcement in Delhi, calling out the Centre for not prioritising public safety. "We were only raising issues of public safety and crime. If you can, arrest the gangsters; why target us instead?" he questioned, further highlighting the precarious situation for those raising concerns about crime.

The attack took place when Kejriwal was interacting with supporters during the rally. According to Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, the assailant, identified as Ashok Jha, had a matchbox and liquid that smelled like spirit, suggesting that the act was an attempt to set the AAP leader on fire. "A man threw spirit on him. We could smell it, and there was an attempt to burn him alive," Bharadwaj claimed, crediting alert volunteers for preventing a potentially tragic incident. Bharadwaj also alleged that the attacker had links to the BJP, fuelling the political tension surrounding the attack.

The BJP swiftly rejected AAP's allegations, dismissing the attack as a "publicity stunt." Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva downplayed the claims, suggesting that the incident was a tactic by AAP to gain sympathy. "Delhiites are asking why such incidents happen only with him," he remarked.

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The police later identified the attacker as Ashok Jha, a 41-year-old bus marshal with the Delhi Transport Corporation, who had been reportedly frustrated over not receiving his salary for six months. Jha was detained by the Delhi Police, which comes under the Union Home Ministry, and is currently being questioned regarding the motive behind the attack.

This incident has once again raised concerns about the law and order situation in Delhi, with both AAP and BJP trading accusations in the aftermath.

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