JOIN USAAP worker complains against Vishwas
In fresh trouble for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a married woman and party worker has accused its leader Kumar Vishwas of not dispelling “rumours” that he had had an illicit relationship with her, ruining her reputation.
The Delhi Police have subsequently filed a case under the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act over a complaint filed by woman against four people, claiming efforts being made to defame her. It says photos were uploaded on social networking websites claiming she was having an affair with Vishwas.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has, meanwhile, summoned Vishwas, a member of the AAP's Political Affairs Committee, and his wife to appear before it on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old AAP activist approached the commission seeking its intervention in forcing the AAP leader to dispel the allegations.
“The woman has approached us many times. Vishwas should appear before the commission, as the complainant is from his own party. She says her marriage is falling apart because of the rumour,” said a DCW official.
AAP sources said an email was earlier sent to party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal about a few weeks ago claiming that Vishwas and the woman were in an illicit relationship.
The party had also conducted an internal probe—through now-sacked leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan—and found no merit in the complaint, said the sources.
“The matter has now come out due to the leaking of the email,” he added.
The complainant has claimed she had earlier written to Kejriwal and Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi narrating the embarrassment she was facing.
She has said Vishtook no action to dispel the “rumours” while Kejriwal did not take note of her complaint.
BJP, Cong attack
The controversy has given ammunition to both the BJP and the Congress to attack the ruling AAP.
Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said the incidents of the last two days have shown Kejriwal’s political behaviour is totally immoral.
“It is shocking to see Kejriwal, who used to profess the need for morality in politics, most brazenly violating moral norms in defending his bogus degree minister and another senior party colleague who was earlier accused of provocation in a farmer-suicide incident and now whose name has cropped up in a matter pertaining to a woman,” he said.
The Congress accused Kejriwal and Vishwas of being “apathetic and insensitive”.
“The victim tried to contact Kejriwal, but he remained silent when his own party volunteer approached him for justice. He was known for loud talks of transparency and protesting atrocities against women before coming to power,” said Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza.
“It is unfortunate to see such apathetic and insensitive behaviour from him. Both Kejriwal and Vishwas should clarify who was behind spoiling her image. The chief minister and other AAP leaders are ignoring the voice of a woman worker,” she added.