The political atmosphere in New Delhi has become tense as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trade allegations over an incident involving Arvind Kejriwal’s vehicle during a recent campaign. BJP leader Parvesh Verma has strongly refuted the AAP’s claims, suggesting that the incident was a staged attempt by AAP to divert attention. The matter has raised serious concerns, with accusations of a violent attack and an attempt to disrupt the election process.
The Allegation from BJP Leader Parvesh Verma
On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party accused BJP workers of attacking Arvind Kejriwal’s car during his door-to-door campaigning in the New Delhi assembly constituency. However, Parvesh Verma, BJP’s candidate for the New Delhi seat, has a different take on the matter. He claimed that the car, which was part of Kejriwal’s campaign, struck three youths who were protesting against the AAP leader. Verma further alleged that Kejriwal had directed the driver to run over the protesters.
Verma explained that during Kejriwal’s campaigning near Lal Bahadur Sadan, residents raised concerns about unemployment and other local issues. Three unemployed youths—Vishal, Abhishek, and Rohit—attempted to ask Kejriwal questions regarding these matters. According to Verma, the Punjab Police intervened and assaulted the youths. Verma said, “When three residents named Vishal, Abhishek, and Rohit, who are unemployed, tried to ask questions to Kejriwal, Punjab Police beat them up and a worker’s phone was broken.”
He continued by accusing Kejriwal of signaling to the driver to hit the youths. “Arvind Kejriwal’s car hit the three youths, and although the driver applied the brakes after seeing them, Kejriwal signalled the driver to crush them… They have been injured. This is an attempt to murder, and I am going to the police station,” Verma said. He assured that the youths would file a police complaint, and an attempt-to-murder case would be registered.
Verma dismissed AAP’s allegations as “baseless” and emphasized that no such attack took place.
The AAP’s Response: A BJP-Orchestrated Attack
In response, the Aam Aadmi Party has maintained that Kejriwal was the target of a violent attack orchestrated by BJP supporters. The party took to social media platform X to voice their claims, accusing the BJP of attempting to sabotage Kejriwal’s campaign. AAP wrote, “Fearing defeat, BJP panicked, got its goons to attack Arvind Kejriwal while BJP candidate Parvesh Verma was campaigning. Goons of BJP candidate Parvesh Verma attacked Arvind Kejriwal with bricks and stones and tried to hurt him so that he could not campaign.”
AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also backed the allegations, stating that BJP workers, acting under Verma’s leadership, attacked Kejriwal with stones during his visit to New Delhi’s Vidhan Sabha. She claimed that Verma was campaigning nearby when the incident took place. “Even after distributing money and carrying out all kinds of unfair practices, the public still sided with Arvind Kejriwal,” Kakkar stated, referring to Verma’s efforts to sway the electorate.
Kakkar also called for the Election Commission to take swift action against what she described as a “cowardly attack.” She said, “This attack is extremely condemnable. The Election Commission does not want a peaceful election to take place in the New Delhi Assembly. Its eyes are shut… Immediate action should be taken on this. I hope the eyes of the Election Commission will open.”
Upcoming Delhi Elections
The controversy comes as Delhi prepares for the upcoming elections, scheduled for February 5. The results are set to be announced on February 8. Parvesh Verma is set to face off against Arvind Kejriwal for the New Delhi seat, which has historically been a key battleground.
Earlier in the month, AAP had accused Verma of trying to manipulate the election by distributing shoes, money, and blankets to voters. This ongoing tension between the two parties signals an intensifying electoral race as both sides continue to accuse each other of underhanded tactics.
