Asha Devi, mother of Nirbhaya, the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim, has called on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to support AAP MP Swati Maliwal, who has accused Bibhav Kumar, close aide of Kejriwal, of assaulting her.
Maliwal had alleged that she was allegedly slapped seven-eight times at the Chief Minister’s residence by Kumar on May 13.
Speaking to news agency IANS, Asha Devi said that Maliwal had fought for the rights of women as the chief of the Delhi Commission for Women, and CM Kejriwal must ensure strict action against the accused.
“He (Arvind Kejriwal) should take action against this. He is Delhi’s CM and calls himself the brother and son of the people of Delhi. Keeping that in mind, he should speak out and take stringent action against the accused and he must support Swati,” she said.
“Swati has been associated with Kejriwal for 8 years for women welfare, and because of her many women got help. I know this personally. The CM must take action and Swati Maliwal must get justice,” she added.
Sharing the video on her social media handle X, Maliwal wrote, “Nirbhaya’s mother has fought a long battle for justice in the country. She had supported me even when I was on a hunger strike to get child rapists punished. Today when he made this video in my support, my heart became very emotional. But it is not a big deal, some leader will call them BJP agents for supporting me!”
In her FIR, Maliwal claimed that she was “kicked on the chest, stomach and pelvis area”, and threatened that she would be killed.
The FIR states, “He (Kumar) pounced on me… brutally dragged and deliberately pulled my shirt up… I hit my head on the centre table… he kicked me on my chest, stomach and pelvis area… I told him that I was on my periods but he continued to attack me with full force again and again.”
CM Kejriwal, who has largely remained silent on the issue, commented on Wednesday saying that there are two versions of the incident, and the Delhi Police must fairly investigate both sides.