Amidst the ongoing political storm surrounding the alleged assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar on May 13, Maliwal has now come forward to share her ordeal with the public. She revealed that she has been subjected to a barrage of rape and death threats, which she believes have been fueled by a one-sided video posted by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee.
Maliwal shared screenshots of the alleged threats she had received, expressing her disappointment that Rathee had ignored her attempts to reach out and present her side of the story. She went on to tag the Delhi Police in her post, stating that should anything happen to her, it would be clear who instigated it.
According to Maliwal, the alleged threats have intensified since the commencement of a smear campaign against her by AAP leaders and volunteers, accusing her of character assassination, victim-shaming, and emotional manipulation. She lamented that this behavior from a party that claims to advocate for women’s rights speaks volumes about their true stance on the issue.
Maliwal further pointed out that Rathee had neglected to mention several crucial facts in his 2.5-minute video targeting her. She asserted that it was deeply distressing to see someone who purported to be an independent journalist acting like an AAP spokesperson and engaging in victim-shaming, leading to a surge in the abuse and threats directed at her.
Maliwal’s allegations stem from the incident on May 13, where she claimed to have been slapped and kicked by Bibhav Kumar during a visit to the Chief Minister’s residence. AAP has vehemently denied these accusations and dismissed them as baseless. Kumar was subsequently apprehended on May 18 following the registration of an FIR in relation to the assault case. According to Delhi Police, Kumar has been uncooperative during the investigation.
