BJP Mahila Morcha protested outside Arvind Kejriwal’s residence

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha protested outside the home of Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, and harshly criticized the former chief minister about the safety of women.

The BJP leaders questioned Kejriwal on the Swati Maliwal case, the claims that Somnath Bharti had abused his wife, and the party’s response to these instances, focusing on his hosting of a “Mahila Adalat” on Monday.

Kamaljeet Sehrawat, a BJP MP, said that holding a “Mahila Adalat” alone would not let him “get rid of all his wrongdoings.” She criticized him for having Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav there and also brought up previous chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s comments on the rape crime.

“The former chief minister of Delhi arranged a ‘Mahila Adalat’ today, beside a person whose father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, made a statement during the Nirbhaya episode that still causes pain. She questioned if Arvind Kejriwal had forgotten that Somnath Bharti, who was handed a ticket for the Delhi assembly elections once again, had abused his wife when she was pregnant.

“He supported his secretary when his private secretary, Bibhav Kumar, attacked Swati Maliwal, a female Rajya Sabha MP from his own party. The Excise Policy was the worst betrayal of women. She said, “A mere ‘Mahila Adalat’ will not absolve Arvind Kejriwal of all his wrongdoings and shortcomings.”

Sehrawat also questioned why the previous chief minister was siding with Somnath Bharti and what steps had been taken against Kejriwal’s private secretary, Bibhav Kumar.

“Why, despite being required, haven’t SC women been nominated to Delhi’s Mahila Aayog for the last two years? Why does Mahila Aayog lack a chairman? Women voters supported the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, and they would do so again in the Assembly elections, she said.

Bansuri Swaraj, a BJP MP, also criticized Kejriwal, saying that his AAP administration had failed to accept responsibility for the last ten years.

“Today, Nirbhaya’s soul must be feeling very ashamed. When that girl was raped, to gain power, AAP’s top leadership had talked about many big things about women’s safety, but it is very sad that despite having a woman Chief Minister, the AAP government has only enjoyed power for a decade, without taking responsibility,” Bansuri Swaraj stated.

“You considered holding a ‘Mahila Adalat’ today, but where was Arvind Kejriwal when his secretary assaulted and mistreated a female MP from his party in his home? Kejriwal shielded the guilty and appointed him Punjab’s chief advisor. ‘Ladke hain, galti ho jaat hai’ was a quote from a leader’s father about women’s safety that he shared a platform with today,” he said.

During his ‘Mahila Adalat’ on Monday, Arvind Kejriwal sharply criticized the BJP-led Centre for the increase in crimes against women in the nation’s capital.

In addition, he urged women voters to support the AAP in the next Delhi assembly elections.

“Men are not as smart as women…It is your duty to vote for the broom and have it voted for in this election,” he said in a post on X. “I have a particular request to all the moms and sisters of Delhi.”

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the SP, was also thanked by the former chief minister for attending the ‘Mahila Adalat’ on Monday.

The list of all 70 candidates for the Delhi assembly elections has been made public by the AAP. Early in 2025 is when Delhi’s Assembly elections are anticipated to take place.

In the 2020 assembly elections, the AAP secured 62 seats, after its 2015 victory of 67 out of 70 seats. The Congress failed to open its account for the second consecutive round, while the BJP increased its number of seats to eight.