The political landscape in Delhi has become increasingly fraught following an attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing on Wednesday morning. The incident has sparked a heated exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with the BJP alleging a connection between the attacker and AAP, while AAP has refuted these claims, suggesting the use of AI to fabricate evidence.
According to reports, the incident occurred at Gupta's camp office in Civil Lines during a 'Jan Sunwai' program. The attacker, identified as Rajesh Sakriya, a 41-year-old resident of Rajkot, Gujarat, allegedly approached Gupta under the guise of submitting documents before assaulting her. Gupta sustained injuries to her hand, shoulder, and head and was taken for a medical check-up. Sakriya was immediately apprehended and is being jointly interrogated by the Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police's Special Cell. An attempt to murder case has been filed against him, along with charges of attacking a public servant and obstructing a public servant.
In the aftermath of the attack, the BJP has pointed fingers at AAP, alleging a link between Sakriya and Gopal Italia, a leader from AAP's Gujarat division. BJP MLA Harish Khurana shared a photo on social media purportedly showing Sakriya with Italia, demanding an explanation from AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and questioning the nature of the relationship. Khurana's post implied that the attack on Gupta was connected to the Aam Aadmi Party.
AAP has vehemently denied any association with the attacker and has accused the BJP of using an AI-generated image to tarnish their reputation. AAP leaders claim that the photo shared by Khurana is a fabrication and that the original video from which the image was allegedly taken shows a different person with Gopal Italia. The party maintains that it does not support violence and accuses Khurana of deliberately defaming them.
Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the attacker's motives. Initial reports suggested that Sakriya was upset about a recent Supreme Court ruling concerning stray dogs in Delhi NCR. Sakriya's mother stated that her son is a dog lover and was disturbed by the prospect of stray dogs being rounded up and placed in shelters. However, police sources have dismissed this claim, stating that Sakriya had no relatives in jail, nor did he carry any application with him, as he claimed. This has led investigating agencies to explore other potential motives behind the attack. CCTV footage has revealed that the attacker had been planning the assault at least 24 hours in advance, conducting a recce of the CM's residence.
The attack has been widely condemned across the political spectrum. Gupta, in her first statement after the incident, asserted that the attack was a "cowardly attempt" on her resolve to serve the people and that it would not deter her from continuing her work. Former AAP leader Atishi also condemned the attack, emphasizing that there is no place for violence in a democracy.
However, amidst the condemnation, some voices have emerged questioning the veracity of the attack. AAP MLA Anil Jha reportedly called the incident a "drama" orchestrated by Gupta to gain sympathy, a claim that has been met with outrage by the BJP. Khurana responded to Jha's comments by questioning whether it was the official position of AAP and accusing the party of a potential conspiracy.
The incident remains under investigation, with authorities working to determine the true motives behind the attack and verify the authenticity of the image linking the attacker to the AAP leader. The political fallout, however, is already evident, with accusations and counter-accusations flying between the BJP and AAP, further exacerbating the already tense political climate in Delhi.
