AAP claims Kejriwal’s vehicle attacked; car hit our workers, says BJP

Kejriwal came out of the venue in his official convoy, which the protestors allegedly tried to stop, even as a skirmish broke out between security personnel and the protestors. In the meantime, a stone was thrown on the sun roof of Kejriwal’s vehicle. He was to hold six public meetings in his constituency, starting at Gole Market and concluding at Laxmi Bai Nagar.

When asked whether a complaint had been filed regarding the incident, a senior police officer from the New Delhi district said neither side had approached the police till late Saturday and they were looking into the matter.

The AAP accused Verma’s supporters of orchestrating the attack on Kejriwal, allegedly to intimidate him. Party leaders said an attempt was made to attack Kejriwal, as he was leaving an area near Gole Market, where Verma was also campaigning.

Following the incident, AAP took to social media to denounce the attack as a “cowardly act” driven by “fear of defeat”. The party asserted that such actions would not deter Kejriwal from continuing his campaign. It also shared a video of the incident on its official social media handle.

The video showed Kejriwal leaving the area when Verma’s alleged supporters surrounded his car and began pelting it with stones. A stone struck the hardtop of Kejriwal’s car before security personnel and AAP supporters pushed back the attackers.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has repeatedly claimed that there is a threat to Arvind Kejriwal’s life, but it has never specified where that threat originates. Today, BJP goons attacked Arvind Kejriwalji with stones. Such an incident has never occurred in the New Delhi Assembly constituency, a peaceful area home to many government offices, officials, and the Election Commission,” said AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar.

Kakkar alleged that Verma was frustrated that, despite distributing gold chains and money, voters were still rallying behind Kejriwal. “In his frustration, he sent his goons to attack Kejriwalji,” she told mediapersons.

In the recent past, there have been four incidents where the AAP has accused the BJP of sending its workers to attack Kejriwal. Kakkar further said that AAP’s legal team is planning to take actions in this regard.

In response to AAP’s accusations, Verma claimed the incident left two of his party workers injured. “Arvind Kejriwal’s car ran over a BJP worker, breaking his leg… This is shameful,” he said.

Verma described Kejriwal’s actions as “barbaric” and “dictatorial”. “Today, my heart is heavy with grief and disbelief. The man who once won the trust of the people by calling himself a ‘common man’ has now turned into an autocrat intoxicated by power. The barbaric treatment meted out to two innocent individuals for simply asking questions has not only shaken democracy but has scarred the very fabric of humanity. This is not just an attack on two individuals; it is an attack on every citizen’s right to question and on every voice that dares to speak up.”

The two youths were taken to Lady Hardinge Hospital where Verma visited them.