New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): In a swipe at the BJP over the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's former aide, Bibhav Kumar, in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal; Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday dared the ruling party at the Centre to arrest all leaders of his party together instead of throwing them in jail one after the other.
Speaking to ANI, the AAP leader alleged that Delhi Police withheld permission for a planned march, led by CM Kejriwal, to the BJP's national headquarters on Sunday at the behest of the Centre.
Significantly, Kejriwal was earlier granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged scam with regard to the now-withdrawn excise policy.
"All our big leaders are being thrown behind bars. Though Arvind Kejriwal is out on bail for 22 days, they are conspiring every day to frame us in false cases and put more of our leaders behind bars. If Prime Minister Modi thinks he can crush and finish off the AAP by putting our leaders in jail, he is mistaken. We are gathering outside the BJP headquarters at noon today. Instead of throwing our leaders in jail one after the other, let them arrest us all at once," Bhardwaj told ANI.
"Police did not give us permission to march to the BJP office. What else can we expect from Delhi Police? They are only doing the bidding of the Centre. If they do not comply with the dictates of the central government, they will either be transferred, suspended or booked in false cases," the AAP leader claimed.
Meanwhile, an elaborate security ring was thrown around the BJP's national headquarters ahead of the AAP's planned 'Jail Bharo' campaign on Sunday. Delhi Traffic Police also issued a traffic advisory ahead of the protest by the ruling party in the national capital, warning of congestion and snarls at DDU Marg, IP Marg, Minto Road and Vikas Marg.
It added that DDU Marg may remain closed to traffic between 11 am and 2 pm, urging commuters to avoid stretches that are expected to experience snarls.
The flurry of protests and political showdown follows the arrest of Kejriwal's former personal secretary in connection with the 'assault' on the AAP leader and former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).
Reacting to Bibhav's arrest, the CM accused PM Modi of resorting to a "Jail ka Khel" (a game of putting leaders behind bars) with the AAP.
He declared he would lead a 'Jail Bharo' march to the BJP's national headquarters at noon on Sunday, along with top party leaders and workers.
In a self-made video that he shared on Saturday, Kejriwal said, "They put me, Manish Sisodia, Satyendra Jain, and Sanjay Singh behind bars. Today, they put my (former) PA in jail. Now they are saying they will put Raghav Chadha, Atishi, and Saurabh Bharadwaj in jail."
"Perhaps, it was our fault building schools and mohalla clinics and providing electricity free of cost that they failed to accomplish. I would like to tell the Prime Minister--you are playing a jail ka khel with us. Tomorrow, I will lead a march to the BJP headquarters with all my top leaders, MLAs, and MPs at noon. You can put whoever you want in jail. You might be thinking that by putting us in jail, you would finish us off. However, our party, ideas and principles live on in the hearts and minds of the people," Kejriwal added.
Upon his arrest in the assault case, Bibhav Kumar was produced before Delhi's Tis Hazari Court, which remanded him in police custody for five days.
The former aide of the AAP supremo earlier emailed the Delhi Police, stating that he was ready to cooperate in the ongoing probe into Maliwal's assault claim while adding that they should also take cognizance of his complaint.
Bibhav lodged a counter-complaint with the police earlier, accusing Maliwal of gaining 'unauthorised entry' into the CM's Civil Lines residence and 'verbally abusing' him.
In his complaint, Kejriwal's former PA charged the AAP MP with unauthorised entry, verbal abuse, and threats while also claiming the BJP's involvement in the matter.
Maliwal, in her complaint, alleged that Bibhav "slapped" her "at least seven to eight times" while she "continued screaming" and "brutally dragged" her while "kicking" her in her "chest, stomach and pelvis area."
Notably, the Vigilance Department had last month terminated Bibhav's service as Kejriwal's PA over a pending criminal case. (ANI)
