Ink attack on Kejriwal: AAP, BJP in war of words

Political wranglings over the ink attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal continued today with AAP alleging that the incident was part of a "big rehearsal" to possibly "physically harm" him while BJP said the attempt to blame police and the party was "more condemnable" than the attack.
Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and briefed him about the incident even as investigators continued probe into yesterday's attack when Kejriwal was addressing a rally.
Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Ashutosh repeated the party's allegations that the attack on Kejriwal was part of deep conspiracy and accused Delhi Police of not providing adequate security to the Chief Minister.

"I can see a method or a pattern here. There's a deep conspiracy and it's a well-known fact that Delhi Police directly reports to the Prime Minister's Office and not the Home Ministry.
"The attack signals that the incidents are part of a big rehearsal. The conspiracies are being tested time and again. One also needs to look at the kind of hate being whipped up against Kejriwal by BJP and RSS," he said.
He said that the young woman throwing ink at Kejriwal was not only "shameful" but also serious as India has had a history of assassinations of top leaders including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

The AAP leader claimed that "not a single" security person escorted the Delhi Chief Minister, who comes in Z-plus category, during his recent train journey from Punjab to the national capital after addressing a public rally there.

Bhavna Arora, the woman, who claimed to be a member of the Punjab unit of Aam Aadmi Sena, was later detained by police and whisked away to Model Town police station for questioning. A case was also registered.
After meeting the Home Minister, Bassi rejected AAP's allegations that there were lapses in security for the Chief Minister. "Any such allegations are misconceived and unfounded. I want to make it clear that necessary arrangements were made at the venue and there was no lapse in security."

Condemning the ink attack, BJP said the attempt of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to accuse BJP and police for the incident is "more condemnable".
"We do not approve of such incidents but on the other hand, the swiftness with which Deputy CM Manish Sisodia started blaming the BJP and police is more condemnable and raises suspicion whether the act was staged by the AAP itself," Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said.
He said BJP has never supported such anarchic politics but AAP and Congress have given political promotion to people committing such acts.
Reacting sharply to the incident, Sisodia yesterday said the BJP was conspiring to attack Kejriwal and the entire Cabinet because they cannot stand the success of the odd-even scheme and AAP's popularity among the masses.

Echoing Sisodia's allegations, Ashutosh said the attack could be seen as an attempt to cause "physical harm" to Kejriwal. "The fact that it may have been an attempt to kill him can't be ruled out.