Women commission being used as political tool, says Somnath Bharti

Claiming that Kumar Vishwas now has a “clean chit” in the case of alleged illicit liaison with an AAP volunteer, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Somnath Bharti on Wednesday accused DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh of misusing the body as a “political tool”.

He said the Delhi Commission for Women in its submission before the Delhi High Court informed that the complaint against party leader Kumar Vishwas has been closed.

“What clarification she (Singh) wants now? Even the complainant has not accused Vishwas of anything. Her charges are against four individuals who harassed her on social media,” said Bharti, who is also Vishwas’ counsel in the case.

Alleging that DCW’s role is politically motivated, AAP Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey said, “They entertained an illogical complaint against Vishwas and even held a press conference against him. Does not that amount to misuse of the women’s panel as a political tool?”

“Should bodies such as LG office, Delhi Police be also used as weapons against political rivals as is being done now?” he said.

Bharti took to Twitter and said, “Possibly fearing embarrassment 4m DHC, DCW informed d court that they dropped proceedings aganst Dr. Vishwas. But I insisted that strictures b passed aganst DCW 4 holding press conf 2 malign reputation of individuals. DHC ordered DCW 2 file reply.”

Meanwhile, Singh countered AAP’s claims saying the panel did not pursue the matter as the case was being “handled” by Delhi Police now.

The DCW chief told the High Court that the proceedings on a complaint against Vishwas by a party volunteer alleging that her life was ruined as he was not rebutting “rumours” about their illicit liaison, has been closed by the Delhi women’s panel.

Justice V P Vaish was told by DCW Chairperson’s counsel that “there are no proceedings pending in the case” before the body.