Asha Devi, the mother of the victim of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape, has urged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to extend his support to AAP MP Swati Maliwal, who has alleged assault by a close aide of the Chief Minister.
Speaking to news agency IANS, Asha Devi emphasized that Swati Maliwal, the former Delhi Commission for Women chief, has been a staunch advocate against women’s atrocities, and Kejriwal should ensure strict action against the accused.
“AAP came into power in Delhi by resonating with the public’s anger and outrage over the Nirbhaya case. If Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal is not safe, what security could ordinary women expect?” she remarked.
Asha Devi appealed to Kejriwal to stand by his MP and ensure that “Swatiji receives justice.”
“As the Chief Minister of Delhi, he should take action in this matter. He refers to himself as the brother and son of the people of Delhi. Bearing that in mind, he should speak up and take decisive action against the accused,” she asserted.
In response to Asha Devi’s message, Swati Maliwal expressed gratitude for her support. “Nirbhaya’s mother has fought tirelessly for justice in the country. Even when I was on a hunger strike to demand punishment for child rapists, she stood by me. Today, she has shown her support for me through this video. It’s deeply touching,” she remarked in a post on X.
“But some leaders will dismiss her as a BJP agent for supporting me!” she quipped, taking a dig at AAP leader Atishi, who insinuated that the AAP MP was involved in a BJP “plot” against Kejriwal.
Swati Maliwal’s allegations against Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar have sparked a political uproar. She claimed that Kumar assaulted her at the Chief Minister’s residence on May 13, kicking her in the chest, stomach, and pelvic area before “brutally dragging” her.
Initially silent on the matter, Kejriwal later called for a fair investigation into the incident, stating that there are conflicting accounts of the events.
