NewDelhi: As Delhi’s polling date comes near, political stress within the city has heightened intensely, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing a genuinely serious assault on their chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s car.
The occurrence took place during a campaign occasion in the New Delhi assembly constituency, where a video shared on AAP’s social networking platform X (formerly Twitter) demonstrates individuals waving dark flags and approaching Kejriwal’s car before a rock is seen being thrown.
The scenario swiftly escalated, prompting security staff to intercede and restore order. Nonetheless, the incident has sparked a flurry of allegations between AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). AAP has pointed fingers at Parvesh Verma, the BJP candidate for New Delhi, declaring that the assaulter was one of his supporters.
In a surprising twist, Verma countered by charging that Kejriwal himself had hit three youthful men along with his automobile, leading to a scuffle between supporters of both events. This latest occurrence isn’t an isolated one; Kejriwal has encountered many attacks throughout his political profession.
In previous assembly elections, such assaults have frequently backfired on the attackers, leading to heightened sympathy and support for AAP. Just days ago, intelligence agencies issued an alert relating to a potential attack on Kejriwal by Khalistani terrorists.
In response, Kejriwal stated he was not frightened for his life and remained steadfast in his political pursuits. In a notable incident two months ago, a man threw water at Kejriwal during an event in Greater Kailash, which was perceived as an attack. AAP supporters swiftly apprehended the individual, who was later recognised as an employee from the Khanpur depot. Following this incident, AAP leaders linked it to BJP’s increasing frustration and raised concerns about law and order in Delhi.
Kejriwal’s history of attacks dates back to the early days of his political career. On April 4, 2014, he was assaulted in South Delhi by an individual who turned out to be a former AAP worker. Just days later, he was slapped by an autorickshaw driver during a campaign event in Sultanpuri. Despite these confrontations, Kejriwal’s ability to turn such incidents into political capital has been remarkable; after being slapped, he even visited the assailant’s home to present him with flowers.
The pattern of assaults continued with incidents such as eggs being thrown at him during a rally last December. Following such events, AAP achieved historic victories in the 2015 assembly elections, securing 67 out of 70 seats.
Even after forming a successful government, Kejriwal faced backlash over policies like the odd-even rule to combat pollution. In January 2016, he was doused with ink by a protester dissatisfied with his policies. More recently, in November 2018, he was targeted with chilli powder during an event at the Delhi Secretariat.
Despite these challenges, attacks have not dented Kejriwal’s popularity; AAP won 63 out of 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections. Interestingly, attacks on Kejriwal have not been confined to Delhi alone. He faced his first assault outside Delhi in Lucknow on October 18, 2011.
Other incidents include an ink-throwing episode in Haryana’s Bhiwani in 2013 and stones being thrown at his vehicle in Ahmedabad in March 2014. As tensions rise ahead of the upcoming elections on February 1, both AAP and BJP are gearing up for what promises to be a fiercely contested battle.