Delhi polls: AAP, BJP continue mud-slinging over ‘Kejriwal attack’ in Gole Market

While the AAP claimed that the BJP’s Parvesh Verma sent “goons with criminal records” to attack Kejriwal, Verma termed Kejriwal a “dictator” and claimed it was a “fake” narrative

A day after a reported attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s vehicle during an election rally in Gole Market, the AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) resorted to a bitter war of words over the issue. While the AAP claimed that the BJP’s Parvesh Verma sent “goons with criminal records” to attack Kejriwal, Verma termed Kejriwal a “dictator” and claimed it was a “fake” narrative by the AAP given that Kejriwal will lose to him the elections.

CM Arvind Kejriwal at a press conference on Sunday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Kejriwal said: “People have never seen a campaign or violence in which murderous attack is attempted on a former CM. I have always maintained that my life is dedicated for country and society. This is their way of campaigning because they are badly losing. I will talk about my work and announce promises for welfare of people.”

Accusing Kejriwal of insensitivity towards the Dalit community, Verma said: “Kejriwal allegedly attempted to run over youths from Valmiki and Dalit community with his car. These are the same youths who were once his supporters and worked tirelessly for his party. However, when they dared to question his 10 years of governance, they were labelled goons and targeted.”

In a separate press conference by the AAP, chief minister Atishi alleged the BJP was conspiring to “eliminate” Kejriwal “as they cannot defeat him”. She said that one of the persons involved in the attack has a “hardcore criminal record” and is “frequently seen with Parvesh Verma”.

“The people who attacked Arvind Kejriwal and threw stones at his car are serious offenders with cases registered against them, including of robbery and attempt to murder,” she alleged.

In a third press conference at the BJP headquarters, Parvesh Verma hit out at Kejriwal and other AAP leaders for allegedly failing to fulfil “any of the 10 promises” he made before the 2020 assembly elections and that he was building a “fake narrative” of being attacked.

“A vehicle in which Kejriwal himself was sitting hit three local youths but the AAP is creating a fake narrative of an attack on him,” Verma said, alleging he submitted a complaint to the Election Commission and provided them with videos.

On the AAP’s charges against him for the attack, he said: “All of the New Delhi constituency were like his family. Kejriwal is saying that the people of the constituency are goons.”

During the BJP press conference, four purported videos from the incident were played. “The three youths involved clearly stated in their testimony that the driver hit the brakes, but Kejriwal gestured to move the car forward, which resulted in the car running over the youths, injuring their legs,” Verma said.

Kejriwal laughed off Verma’s claim. “Let him live in dreams for some days,” he said.