13 Mins Into Briefing, Kejriwal Silent on Maliwal, Akhilesh Says More Important Issues on Card

New Delhi: As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Thursday, May 16, he chose not to speak on the Swati Maliwal row. 

Former DCW chief Swati Maliwal had accused Bibhav of assaulting her at the CM residence on Monday, following which Sanjay Singh admitted the same at a press conference. Sanjay Singh had had claimed that strong action would be taken against the accused, however, Bibhav was spotted with Kejriwal and Singh as they landed in Lucknow on Wednesday night for the joint press conference. 

As reporters asked Kejriwal about Swati Maliwal, who was allegedly assaulted by his aide at the CM residence on Monday, he refused to answer. Instead Akhilesh Yadav defended the AAP leader, saying that other important issues to be discussed in the press conference. "There are other issues that are more important than this..." said Akhilesh Yadav. 

Instead of Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh responded to the questions on Maliwal. Sanjay Singh said that the BJP must response first on incidents which happened in Manipur. "AAP is our family and has given a clear statement. Politics should not be done on Swati Maliwal's issue..." said Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. 

“The entire country was in pain after seeing what happened in Manipur but PM Modi was silent on the issue. Prajwal Revanna raped thousands of women but PM Modi was asking for votes for Prajwal Revanna. When our wrestlers were protesting at Jantar Mantar, Swati Maliwal who was DCW chief was beaten up by Police...PM Modi remained silent on these issues. BJP and PM Modi should answer all these issues that I mentioned,” he added. 

Bibhav in Lucknow Along With Kejriwal, Singh 

On Thursday morning, images of Bibhav Kumar along with Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh surfaced. Bibhav was seen accompanying Singh and Kejriwal as they landed at Lucknow airport on Wednesday night for the joint press conference of INDI alliance.  Sharing pictures from the Lucknow airport, the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders questioned Kejriwal over inaction in the Swati Maliwal assault row. BJP said that instead of punishing Kumar, Kejriwal is making him tour the country along with him. 

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called AAP -  Anti women anarchist party. “72 hours, No FIR on Bibhav Kumar instead Kejriwal is protecting him ! Roaming around with him.. It is clear- attack on Swati Maliwal was done at behest of Kejriwal himself,” said the BJP leader.  “Sheesh Mahal is Apradh Mahal & just like Draupadi cheerharan - a woman Rajya Sabha MP was subjected to violence , assault Now she is being pressured to keep Silent or change her story as is evident from statements of Naveen Jaihind & Nitin Tyagi of AAP hence she hasn’t approached the police yet,” he added. 

Vice president of the BJP's Delhi unit, Kapil Mishra, also shared the picture of Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh and Bibhav Kumar together at the Lucknow airport, pointing out how the Rajya Sabha MP had condemned the incident earlier. "This is the photo of Lucknow airport last night The one in the black shirt is Vibhav who hit Swati Maliwal Along with Sanjay Singh who said that Bibhav did a very wrong thing, Kejriwal is angry The third one is Kejriwal himself who is accused of getting Swati beaten up," Mishra posted on X.

AAP Admits Assault, No FIR Yet 

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, on Tuesday, admitted that Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar "misbehaved" with Maliwal. Addressing a press conference a day after Maliwal alleged that a member of Kejriwal's personal staff "assaulted" her, Singh said AAP supremo Kejriwal will take strict action in the matter. “Yesterday morning, Maliwal had gone to meet Arvind Kejriwal at his residence. While she was waiting to meet him in the drawing room, Bibhav Kumar came and misbehaved with her. This is a highly condemnable incident. Kejriwal has taken cognisance of it and will take strict action in the incident,” said the AAP leader.

Delhi Police said they are still waiting for her to come and file a formal complaint, but added that they have not closed the DD (daily diary) entry as Maliwal had come to the police station on Monday and said she would return to lodge a case. They can initiate action in the matter if the complainant herself comes to the police station and formally files a case or emails a complaint to police, said an officer to PTI.