Screengrab from a video showing security personnel surrounding Arvind Kejriwal's car after the alleged 'attack'.
Credit: X/@RamanJourno
New Delhi: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's car was pelted with stones during a campaign ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls in the Gole Market area in New Delhi with his party claiming that BJP candidate Parvesh Verma's supporters attacked him. The saffron party, however, alleged that three locals were injured after Kejriwal's vehicle hit them.
Police said that there was no stone pelting, though some people tried to wave black flags at Kejriwal and were removed, while videos shared by AAP showed a stone hurled at the vehicle while security personnel were making way for the car during the protest.
Two of the three injured admitted to a government hospital, Vishal and Rohit Tyagi, claimed that they were residents of the New Delhi constituency and that Kejriwal signalled the driver to hit them.
AAP said on 'X', "the BJP goon who carried out a murderous attack on Kejriwal is very close to Parvesh Verma. BJP people, Kejriwal is not going to be scared of these attacks by your goons. With whatever force BJP will attack, Delhiites will make sure their deposits get confiscated with twice the force."
Verma hit back at Kejriwal and AAP claiming that the three New Delhi residents Vishal, Abhishek and Rohit who are unemployed tried to ask questions to Kejriwal, as the police beat them up. "Kejriwal's car hit the three youths and the driver of the car applied brakes after seeing the three youths but Kejriwal signaled the driver to crush them. This is an attempt to murder," he alleged.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia claimed that the BJP is a party of "panicked cowards" and if they do not have the courage to fight against Kejriwal, then they will get goons to attack him. "There cannot be any more cheap and low level politics than what BJP is doing. BJP should understand that the public will now give you a befitting reply for their stones," he said.
Responding to the allegations and counter allegations, Congress' New Delhi candidate Sandeep Dikshit said he condemned violence, as it has no place in a democracy.
"I hope the police will investigate and only then will it be known what kind of attack it was. Violence should not happen. I hope the police will give him (Kejriwal) more security. Both AAP and BJP do not talk about the real issues and they should talk about issues that impact people," he said.