AAP claims Kejriwal's car attacked during campaigning; BJP alleges vehicle hit 3 people
New Delhi: The AAP on Saturday alleged that Arvind Kejriwal's car was attacked by BJP candidate Parvesh Verma's supporters during campaigning in the New Delhi constituency, prompting Verma to hit back as he accused the AAP chief of hitting three people with his vehicle.
Verma claimed that the three victims have sustained leg injuries and said he would file an "attempt to murder" case against Kejriwal.
The incident has sparked a political war of words between the ruling AAP in Delhi and the BJP ahead of the February 5 assembly polls.
Sharing a video on social media, the AAP claimed that a stone can be seen landing on Kejriwal's vehicle, accusing BJP's Verma of getting its chief attacked by his "goons".
हार के डर से बौखलाई BJP, अपने गुंडों से करवाया अरविंद केजरीवाल जी पर हमला‼️
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) January 18, 2025
BJP प्रत्याशी प्रवेश वर्मा के गुंडों ने चुनाव प्रचार करते वक्त अरविंद केजरीवाल जी पर ईंट-पत्थर से हमला कर उन्हें चोट पहुंचाने की कोशिश की ताकि वो प्रचार ना कर सकें।
बीजेपी वालों, तुम्हारे इस कायराना… pic.twitter.com/QcanvqX8fB
A police official, however, said that no one pelted stones at the Kejriwal's car but some people were trying to show black flags to the AAP chief, who was immediately removed from the location.
The official said that no complaint has been received so far, adding that they are checking CCTV footage to know more about the incident.
Kejriwal is pitted against Verma from the New Delhi constituency in the Delhi Assembly polls.
Later, addressing a press conference, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said that Verma was "baffled", claiming that "though he (Verma) distributed money and gold chain in New Delhi, people in the constituency are supporting Kejriwal".
The Election Commission and Delhi Police should take suo moto cognizance of the incident and conduct an "impartial probe" to ensure strong action against Verma, Kakkar said.
"The attack on Kejriwal is extremely condemnable. The BJP does not want to allow peaceful elections in the New Delhi constituency," she charged.
The AAP spokesperson demanded Delhi Police to detain Verma and his "goons" for questioning them over the incident.
Hitting back at Kejriwal, Verma said the AAP chief's car hit three youths who were asking him for jobs, and that he would file a police complaint of "attempt to murder".
Talking to reporters, Verma showed a damaged phone of one of the youths, claiming he was hit by Kejriwal's vehicle.
He said the injured have been identified as Vishal, Abhishek and Rohit.
The BJP leader said Kejriwal had gone for door-to-door campaigning near Lal Bahadur Shatri Sadan at Gole Market around 4 pm.
When some local youths asked him questions, including Vishal, Abhishek and Rohit, and tried to meet Kejriwal for jobs, police personnel from Punjab beat them up, Verma alleged.
"The three youth were hit by Kejriwal's vehicle in which he was sitting. The trio claimed that they came in front of the vehicle and the driver applied brakes but then moved it when signalled by Kejriwal," Verma said.
He said several videos of the incident were shot by the locals that showed the three youths being "hit" by the vehicle.
"Will Kejriwal try to kill and run over the local youth with vehicle when they ask him about their jobs," Verma asked.
None of the three youths was seen pelting stones, he said on the AAP's charges of stone pelting.
"Kejriwal is saying that these three youths are goons. But they are local residents and voters of New Delhi. Will anyone asking Kejriwal questions about jobs be called goons by him?" Verma asked.
Reacting to the development, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, who is also contesting from the New Delhi constituency, said that he is against all such kinds of violence.
He sought to know what kind of politics is happening in Delhi.
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia hit out at the BJP over the incident.
"If you (BJP) don't have the courage to fight against Arvind Kejriwal's work, then you got your 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 give you a befitting reply for this," Sisodia said in a post on X.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said that the "real video", which has been shared by Parvesh Verma on X, clearly proves that Kejriwal tried to mow down the youths of Delhi.
"Because he (Kejriwal) is staring at his defeat in the New Delhi assembly constituency, he tried to crush the youths of Delhi who were just seeking some answers," he said.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
