The Election Commission of India (ECI) today tore into Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi after both claimed that the central poll body is targeting other parties while ignoring BJP for poll-related violations.
Stating that the poll body will not be intimidated by “such outbursts,” the ECI, rebutting the AAP leaders’ claims, took to X and said, “The 3-member Commission collectively noted repeated deliberate pressure tactics to malign ECI in Delhi Elections, as if it is a single member body & decided to have constitutional restraint, absorbing such outbursts with sagacity, stoically & not to be swayed by such insinuations.”
The AAP candidate from Kalkaji lashed out at Delhi Police and the central poll body, claiming that she was being punished for speaking out against her challenger, BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri, for “openly violating the code of conduct.”
Slamming both Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and the Delhi Police for turning a blind eye to Bidhuri, Atishi took to X and said, “The Election Commission is also amazing! Ramesh Bidhuri ji’s family members are openly violating the code of conduct. No action is being taken against them. I filed a complaint and called the police and @ECISVEEP, and they filed a case against me!”
Joining Atishi’s tirade against the central poll body, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said that anyone who raises their voice against BJP’s “hooliganism” will be targeted by Delhi Police and the Election Commission.
“In response to a complaint about growing hooliganism, the Election Commission has filed a police case against the Chief Minister of Delhi. So now, the official stance of the Delhi Police and the Election Commission is that the ‘work’ of the Delhi Police and the Election Commission is to engage in hooliganism against the Aam Aadmi Party, provide protection to the BJP’s hooliganism, and distribute liquor, money, and goods,” Kejriwal said.
“If anyone tries to stop them from doing this ‘work,’ a case will be filed against that person for obstructing the ‘work’ of the police and the Election Commission,” he added.
The Delhi Police on Tuesday registered two cases — one, against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct and another, against her supporters for allegedly attacking a police officer.
Two members from the ruling AAP, Ashmit and Sagar Mehta, were arrested for “obstructing and assaulting” the head constable of Govindpuri Police station at around 1 am on Tuesday, said police.
According to police, head constable Kaushal Pal rushed to Baba Fateh Singh Marg after a huge gathering was reported during the early hours of Tuesday. As Pal started video-recording the crowd, he was allegedly attacked by the AAP members.
According to the police, Atishi violated the Model Code of Conduct by arriving at Fateh Singh Marg with ten vehicles and around sixty supporters on Monday night.
When asked to leave, she refused, according to the police.
Soon after, the senior AAP leader was booked in a disobedience case registered under Section 223 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Atishi, taking to X, claimed that the Delhi police “illegally took in custody two people who were reporting and making a video of MCC violations.” She further alleged that no action was taken against those for flouting the MCC.
Sharing the video on X, Atishi said, The boy who was making the video was beaten and taken away by the police. You can see in this video that the police are kicking him. Action was taken against the person who made the video. Nothing against the person who broke the rules.”
Earlier, Atishi, in a series of allegations on X, claimed that Ramesh Bidhuri’s son Manish Bidhuri was violating MCC during ‘silence period,’ a period where political parties are barred from campaigning 48 hours before an election.
Acting on Atishi’s complaint, Delhi Police booked Manish Bidhuri for violating MCC and registered a case against him under Section 126 of The Representation of the People Act (Prohibition of public meetings during the ‘silence period’)
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