Delhi: Self-proclaimed cow vigilante or gau rakshak, Swatantra Bhardwaj proudly claimed that he was roaming freely during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests, even after attempting murder, as Delhi Police released him following a call from Minister Kapil Mishra.
During the protests on July 20, Bhardwaj brutally assaulted the father of CJP protester Neetu, leaving the Dalit man near death.
“Neetu ke sar ka ham sar phaade. aapko pata hai isme kose haap lagta hai? Half murder – 307 (We cracked Neetu’s head open. Do you know what charge applies to this? Attempted murder—Section 307),” Bhardwaj told podcast host Neha Singh Rathore.
Bhardwaj recounted the day, saying Neetu’s father had seven stitches on his head and he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance in a near-death state. His daughter was standing outside the police station, threatening to consume poison if her father did not get justice, he said.
“Yet the very next day I was out; I didn’t even go to jail,” Bhardwaj said, smiling. The cow vigilante said he was roaming around the city “freely all night.”
He explained how he “escaped” going to jail, thanking Lord Hanuman first, and police officers reportedly received a call from Kapil Mishra, who serves as the Law and Order Minister under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Delhi government.
“Kapil Mishra bade bhaiya hai apne (Kapil Mishra is like an elder brother to me),” adding that even Union Minister Chirag Piswan is like his “bade bhaiya.”
“Modi ji bhi apne bade bhai hain. Sabka support hai (Modi ji is also like an elder brother to me. I have everyone’s support),” Bhardwaj claimed.
Calling it “outrageous impunity,” CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the Delhi Police releasing the “goon” was illegal interference.
“Outrageous impunity! This goon attempted murder of a Dalit man and, while in Police custody, made calls to Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra for his release and to pressure them not to add section 307. This is illegal interference with Police investigation,” Das wrote on X.
He said that while Bhardwaj was released, peaceful protesters at Jantar Mantar were being made to read the rulebook, beaten up, threatened with cases, and FIRs were also registered.
“Why should Kapil Mishra not resign for protecting a potential murderer and be a co-accused as an accessory to a crime? Had he not interfered, the Delhi Police ought to have arrested Bhardwaj and his gang!” Das said.
During the one-hour podcast interview, Bhardwaj used slurs like Mullah and Mullani to describe Muslim men and women. He said the only party he would create is “Mulla Mukt Bharat” (Mullah-free India) because if Muslims leave India, then “automatically India would be free of Jihad, Love jihad, land jihad, toilet jihad, thook jihad.”
