The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has reacted strongly to the recent attack on Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, which occurred during a public hearing. From prominent figures like Arvind Kejriwal, the party’s National Convenor, to various regional leaders, the incident has been universally condemned as an affront to democratic principles. The AAP leadership has called for swift and decisive action against those responsible. Arvind Kejriwal, in a social media post, characterized the attack as ‘highly reprehensible,’ underlining the distinction between legitimate dissent and violence in a democratic framework. He expressed his confidence in the Delhi Police to take appropriate measures and offered his best wishes for the Chief Minister’s health and safety.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP’s Delhi State President, underscored the party’s commitment to non-violence, recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings. He questioned the sources of violence and its proponents. Bharadwaj extended the definition of violence to include police brutality against students and farmers protesting for their rights, as well as instances of police overreach in minor cases, asserting that the authority to punish lies with the courts.
Furthermore, Bharadwaj emphasized that AAP would not use public dissatisfaction with Rekha Gupta as a justification for the attack, affirming that violence is never the answer. He called on the BJP to acknowledge AAP’s principled stance against violence and urged all parties to condemn the incident. He also criticized the BJP for its past attempts to justify violence and stressed that violence is never justifiable, regardless of its cause.
Atishi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, also voiced strong condemnation, reiterating the need to uphold democratic principles, while hoping the Delhi Police would bring the perpetrators to justice. AAP’s National Media Incharge, Anurag Dhanda, affirmed that violence has no place in a democracy and urged the Delhi Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation and to punish those responsible. He also wished for the safety and well-being of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.