Differences in DCW come to fore on summoning Vishwas

 High drama was witnessed at the Delhi Commission for Women today as a member revolted against its chief alleging that she maligned the image of AAP leader Kumar Vishwas by issuing summons to him on the basis of complaint by a party volunteer that he did not dispel rumours of an illicit affair with her.

DCW member Juhi Khan stormed out of a joint press interaction with DCW chief Barkha Singh, calling "politically motivated" the decision to issue summons to Vishwas and his wife and said she was resigning from the panel in protest.

The DCW had yesterday issued summons to Vishwas and his wife, asking them to appear before it by 3 PM today but the AAP leader did not depose before the panel and said he has not received any communication from it.

As Singh told the media that fresh summons have been issued against Vishwas asking him to appear before the Commission by 12 noon tomorrow, Khan, who was sitting next to the panel chief, protested the decision and said the AAP leader is being targeted for political gains.

Singh is a former Congress MLA and had a tussle with the AAP government during its first stint over then minister Somnath Bharti's alleged involvement in a midnight crackdown on a prostitution ring.

"It is a politically-motivated conspiracy. I am resigning in protest," said Khan, storming out of the joint media interaction with the panel chief.

The DCW chief, on the other hand, alleged that Khan has joined AAP recently and that was the reason why she opposed the move. "She is a member of AAP. She was sent by the party to create chaos in our press conference," Singh alleged.

Defending the issuance of summons to Vishwas, Singh said, "There are things which are going against him (Vishwas). We are further sending the documents to police.

"The woman has also alleged that Vishwas dismissed the issue as a small affair. Heard that he is going to America today. We have called him again. Fresh summons have been issued through police. We do not know why Kumar is showing so much ego. We have given time till 12 pm tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought to defend Vishwas saying "everyone is saying there is no illicit relationship".

"Both of them are saying there is no illicit relationship but still channels are running all sorts of things. Even Kumar's daughter is unable to attend school as she is facing questions there," he said.

Singh claimed that Khan was initially a member of Congress which had made her a member of the commission but joined AAP recently.

"This was an AAP ploy to send Juhi Khan and disrupt my press conference. Khan is an AAP member. She has been a member of the Commission for the last three years. She was appointed a member of DCW by the Congress government. Few months back, she told me that she has joined AAP," Singh alleged.

"We had not invited her to the press conference. Suddenly she started speaking in support of Vishwas. This is very unfortunate that being a woman she was not supporting another woman's cause," said Singh, whose tenure as DCW chairperson is coming to an end on July 18.

Asked about Vishwas' comment that he has not received the DCW notice, Singh said, "Vishwas is lying if he is claiming that he has not received the summons." She said DCW has the receipt of the post.

She further said that another summon has been sent to Vishwas asking him to appear before the Commission tomorrow at 12 noon.

On reports that Vishwas was going abroad tomorrow afternoon, Singh said, "If he does not appear again tomorrow, the DCW will send the complaint to Delhi Police.

Supporting DCW chairperson, its investigating officer Sudha Tokas said that Khan was an AAP member.

Earlier in the day, Delhi BJP's women wing held a protest outside Kejriwal's residence demanding action against Vishwas. The BJP workers accused Kejriwal of shielding Vishwas and said they will continue their protest till action was taken against the AAP leader.

Vishwas accused the BJP of trying to defame him."Whatever is happening is the handiwork of BJP's dirty minds department. Why is the police not acting against those who are abusing her on social media," he asked.

Asked about the woman's claim that her husband had left her because of the rumours about her relationship with him, Vishwas said, "What sort of husband he is who needs a character certificate for his wife from another person."