Arvind Kejriwal accuses Election Commission of surrendering to BJP after alleged attack ahead of Delhi polls
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that the Election Commission has surrendered before the BJP.
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal reiterated his allegations against the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar that he "wants a job post-retirement" and accused him of "destroying the country" for mere post.
He further urged Kumar to fulfil his duty and give up his "desires" for the post.
"... Our revolutionaries were hanged so that there would be democracy in the country, elections would be fair. But the way the Election Commission has surrendered before the BJP today, it seems as if the Election Commission does not exist. This is raising a very big question. It is absolutely justified for people to have questions in their minds that Rajiv Kumar Ji, who is the Chief Election Commissioner, is retiring at the end of this month, what kind of post has been offered to him post-retirement? The post of Governor, the post of President, what kind of post can it be?... I request Rajiv Kumar Ji with folded hands. Do your duty, give up the desire for the post, give up the greed for the post. Now at the end of your career, do not destroy the country, the country's democracy," the AAP chief said in the press conference.
These remarks came after the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday alleged that the party's van was attacked and vandalised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the attack took place in the presence of Delhi police who did not give adequate protection to AAP.
During a press conference, AAP leaders Priyanka Kakkar and Jasmine Shah named two people, Rohit Tyagi and Shanky, who were allegedly involved in the attack, and showed a video of the alleged attack.
"BJP goons attacked and vandalised AAP's campaign van at New Delhi Assembly. The two BJP goons Rohit Tyagi and Shanky who are seen attacking in the video..." Jasmine Shah said.
Kakkar also claimed that on January 18, the same people had thrown stones at Arvind Kejriwal, adding, "On 18 January, BJP goons Rohit Tyagi and Shanky attacked Arvind Kejriwal with stones. If the police had taken action against these goons, they would not have dared to attack AAP's campaign vehicle today. The people of Delhi are watching everything and they will press the broom button with such force that Amit Shah will get a direct electric shock."
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the party claimed that BJP candidate Parvesh Verma's people broke the light of one of their vans in the R K Ashram area.
"When all this was happening, Delhi Police was also present there. But they did not even bother to stop the BJP goons," the party claimed in the post.
The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. AAP won 62 seats in the 2020 assembly elections while BJP secured the remaining eight seats.