Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav on Wednesday condemned the alleged attack on chief minister Rekha Gupta during a public grievance hearing at her official residence in Civil Lines, calling it a serious reflection on women’s safety in the capital.
“This is very unfortunate. CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes women's safety," Devender Yadav said.
The Congress, however, questioned the safety of women in the national capital, asking, "If the chief minister of Delhi is not safe, how can a common man or common woman be safe?”
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Virendra Sachdeva said chief minister Rekha Gupta was interacting with the public during a Jan Sunwai when a man approached her and handed over some papers. “Suddenly, he held her hand while trying to pull her. During this, there was a little jostling and maybe her head touched a corner a little. People nabbed him,” Sachdeva said, adding that further details are being investigated by the police. “We should wait for the investigation to be over and more details to emerge.”
Sachdeva also said Rekha Gupta was “all stable” and had been examined by doctors. “This has caused some shock. I have met her, she is a strong woman. It seems that the slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated. Jan Sunwai will continue. CM is resting right now but she has said that she will not cancel her programs,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Sachdeva also said Rekha Gupta was “all stable” and had been examined by doctors. “This has caused some shock. I have met her, she is a strong woman. It seems that the slap or stone-throwing stories are fabricated. Jan Sunwai will continue. CM is resting right now but she has said that she will not cancel her programs,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Clarifying the sequence of events, Sachdeva said that the Delhi CM was neither slapped nor attacked with a stone, as earlier claimed. “A man tried to pull her, there was some jostling, and her head may have brushed against a corner. She is back home,” he said.
The security personnel present at the event overpowered the attacker and took him into custody. The motive behind the incident is yet to be ascertained.