Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta was allegedly attacked by a man during an event at her residence in Civil Lines - a “mishap” that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned on Wednesday, saying that a police inquiry into the matter is underway.
One person was nabbed by the police in connection with the incident, which took place during a ‘Jan Sunvai’ (public hearing) event at her residence.
Who is the accused
According to initial interrogation, the accused identified himself as Rajesh, 41, from Rajkot in Gujarat. Police were verifying his statement. There is still no clarity on what exactly happened, with conflicting versions from people who were present at the event.
Officials from the CM's office initially said the chief minister was "slapped" and her “hair was pulled.” However, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva later told reporters that the claims “were fabricated” and that the CM got injured during a commotion when a person attempted to pull her at the event.
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According to people in the CM’s office, the chief minister was interacting with citizens and listening to their grievances when a man suddenly surged forward, handed over a piece of paper to her, started talking loudly, used expletives, and then slapped her.
{{/usCountry}}According to people in the CM’s office, the chief minister was interacting with citizens and listening to their grievances when a man suddenly surged forward, handed over a piece of paper to her, started talking loudly, used expletives, and then slapped her.
{{/usCountry}}Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor earlier said the man attacked her physically “by pulling her hair.”
"We are being told that he attacked her physically by pulling her hair. From the things he was saying, it seems this person had criminal intent and political leanings. He has been detained by police. We are awaiting further inquiry," Kapoor said.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, however, refuted reports of the CM being slapped and said she hit her head on the edge of a table after a commotion broke out when a man suddenly held her hand and attempted to pull her.
"CM was interacting with the public during Jan Sunvai when a man approached her, presented some paper… he suddenly 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 other details are being investigated by the police. "We should wait for the investigation to be over and more details to emerge."
He added that the CM is stable and doctors have examined her. "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 Sunvai will continue. The CM is resting right now but she has said that she will not cancel her programmes," Sachdeva added.