Continuing his attack on the BJP-led Center and Home Minister Amit Shah for failing to ensure women’s safety and law and order in the capital, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal accused the party of prioritizing political gains in governance. In parallel, he showcased AAP’s initiatives for women like the ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana’.
The former Delhi chief minister was speaking at the women’s court held to mark the 12th anniversary of the December 2012 gang-rape at Thyagaraj Stadium on Monday. The event saw the presence of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who announced his party’s full support in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections that are also being contested by the Congress, its Indian bloc ally.
In a space designed to resemble a courtroom, there were testimonies from women recounting their experiences of violence, harassment and police indifference.
A teenager said, “Some boys chased me from the market, one caught me suddenly. I screamed for help, but no one intervened…” Another woman described the attack on her and her daughter. “They beat us up in the afternoon… and sexually assaulted my daughter. The police refused to register an FIR,” he alleged.
Addressing a crowd of mainly female supporters, Kejriwal reflected on the gang-rape incident: “12 years ago today, our younger sister was brutally gang-raped. It felt like a transformative moment for the country. But here we are, 12 years later, and Crime against women has only increased exponentially.”
He then highlighted his government’s achievements: “We have installed more than 3 lakh cameras. We have deployed marshals on buses and installed more than 4 lakh street lights. But law and order is under the center of BJP leadership and it has failed miserably… Women safety is not on their agenda alone.
The court also presented newspaper reports, CCTV footage of the crime and a video interspersed with the testimony of the women to point out the alleged failures of the Home Ministry. “If Amit Shah cannot manage law and order in Delhi, he should accept it. The women of Delhi are strong enough to handle it themselves,” Kejriwal said.
He also praised the Mahila Samman Yojana, which promises financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to women and Rs 2,100 if the Aam Aadmi Party returns to power. “… economic support empowers women to contribute to society,” he said.
Yadav has also attacked the Ministry of Home Affairs. “If Delhi is not safe, how can we expect another city to be safe?”
Thanking Kejriwal, he added, “I assure you one more thing – the Samajwadi Party stands by you with full responsibility… As much as your government has done in Delhi, we think you should get a chance to do it again.”
CM Atishi, who was present at the event, said, “Time has come to raise our voice and show the BJP that the daughters of this country are like Rani Lakshmi Bai. Just like she stood against the British, the women of Delhi will stand against the BJP and make their voices heard.
Meanwhile, BJP MPs Bansuri Swaraj and Kamaljit Sehrawat, along with their Mahila Morcha officials, staged a protest outside Kejriwal’s residence over the inclusion of his aide Vibhav Kumar in the event. “If Kejriwal really wants to respect women in Delhi, he should first expel those with a misogynistic mindset from his party,” the Delhi BJP said.
Kumar has been accused of assaulting Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
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