BJP claims Swati Maliwal dragging case ‘drama’, ‘fake sting’; DCW chief reacts

Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal on Saturday slammed “those who think that they will scare me” after several Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have raised questions over her molestation claims, alleging that the person she accused is an Aam Aadmi Party member and her “drama” was part of a conspiracy which has now been “exposed”.

“Let me tell those who think that they will scare me by telling dirty lies about me. I have done many big things in this short life by tying a shroud on my head. I had many attacks but I did not stop. With every atrocity the fire inside me grew stronger. No one can suppress my voice. I will keep fighting as long as I am alive!” Maliwal tweeted.

Maliwal had alleged that she was molested by a drunk man while on an inspection at night and dragged for 10-15 metres by his car outside AIIMS with her hand stuck in the vehicle’s window. The accused, a 47-year-old man, was arrested. After a video of the incident surged, several BJP leaders hit out at Maliwal, an AAP appointee.

BJP leader Shazia Ilmi tweeted that Maliwal’s “drama” has been exposed.

“@AamAadmiParty and… did a sting to defame Delhi and its police and serious questions arise on its credibility. Is cheap politics legitimate on the serious issue of women safety? she asked.

Former DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh said by indulging in such drama, Maliwal should not weaken women.

Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdeva said Harish Chandra Suryavanshi, who was accused of harassing Maliwal, is actually a prominent activist of the Aam Aadmi Party in Sangam Vihar.

Sachdeva released a photo in which the accused is seen campaigning with AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal. Sachdeva said with the revelation of the photo and Suryavanshi’s background, “it has become clear that the incident was a conspiracy of AAP to defame Delhi internationally by showing the city as an unsafe city for women”.

In a similar allegation, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, “This is the same Harish, who was driving the car. You can guess how close this person is to AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal by looking at this photo.”

He added, “Now if this is a partner, then it means that the whole incident is like a fake sting, which has been done with a private channel. This is a shocking matter for Delhi. Those who have the responsibility of Delhi, the people who have been elected by Delhi what picture are they trying to show to Delhi? We are not saying that such an incident cannot happen or has not happened. But why was there a need to do this fake sting? Why does the woman standing there turn around the car and go to the other side? And even in the video, she can be seen herself putting her hand inside the car.”

Footage showing Maliwal being allegedly molested by an inebriated man and dragged by his car for 10-15 metres with her hand stuck in the vehicle window has been recovered, police said on Friday.

The DCW chief said she was inspecting the state of women’s security in Delhi along with her team in wake of the Kanjhawla hit-and-drag incident in which a 20-year-old woman was dragged to death while trapped under a car in the national capital.

Maliwal’s team which was with her during the inspection was stationed at some distance.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chandan Chowdhary said a patrol vehicle spotted her on the pavement opposite AIIMS around 3.05am and enquired if she was in distress. After Maliwal narrated her ordeal, the police tracked the car down and arrested its driver, identified as Harish Chandra.