Swati Maliwal assault case: BJP says AAP 'anti-aurat party', resorting to victim-shaming

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday accused AAP of resorting to victim-shaming and victim-blaming in its brazen defence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar in the Swati Maliwal assault case.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Kejriwal is making efforts to protect Kumar as his aide is in a position to expose the chief minister's damaging 'secrets'.

In a swipe at the party, Poonawalla told reporters that AAP is essentially an "anti-aurat party (anti-women party)" as he cited past allegations ofmistreatment of women involving its leaders.

With AAP claiming that Maliwal is acting at the BJP's behest, Poonawalla cited another AAP leader and Delhi Commission for Women member Vandana Singh's support to the Rajya Sabha MP to hit out at the party.

He noted Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's criticism of AAP over the issue to ask if the Lok Sabha MP has also become a BJP agent, an allegation levelled against Maliwal by her party.

"AAP's corruption and misconduct is followed by disinformation. It has become the party's standard operating procedure," he said, comparing the Maliwal case with Draupadi's disrobing episode in the Mahabharata.

AAP is now busy in Maliwal's character assassination, too, he added.

Kumar is merely a puppet, it is Kejriwal who holds the strings, Poonawalla alleged and attacked opposition leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Chaturvedi for not speaking up on the issue.

Noting that Kumar lodged a police complaint against Maliwal, who has accused him of assaulting her, four days after the incident occurred at the chief minister's residence, the BJP leader said he is clearly acting at Kejriwal's behest.

Poonawalla also cited Maliwal's medical report, which has reportedly confirmed bruises on her, to hit out at AAP.

Kumar was arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal.

He was picked up from the chief minister's residence by a Delhi Police team around noon, a senior officer said.