Rhetorical venom from the Minister of the Union
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has released a torrent of condemnation over the alleged assault on AAP Member of Parliament Swati Maliwal. In her blistering critique of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its founder Arvind Kejriwal, Sitharaman has criticised the AAP and its leader. In the midst of the increasing tensions that surrounded the controversial incident that allegedly took place within the limits of Kejriwal’s official residence, Sitharaman made his extremely scathing remarks.
In his address to the media, the veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not hold back when he criticised Kejriwal for his indefatigable silence in the aftermath of the alleged attack on Maliwal, a prominent person within the ranks of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The criticism that Sitharaman issued echoed across the political community, highlighting the seriousness of the situation and the increasing amount of pressure that is being placed on the Chief Minister of Delhi to break his silence.
Apologies and demands for accountability are received.
The critical remarks made by Sitharaman centred on the alleged involvement of Kejriwal’s assistant, Bibhav Kumar, who is suspected of attacking Maliwal, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha and a former chief of the Delhi Women’s Commission. The anger of the Union Minister was obvious as she criticised Kejriwal for what she saw to be his lack of action. She asserted that the symbolic nature of the alleged occurrence deserved an instant apology from the AAP supremo.
The Chief Minister does not utter a single word despite the fact that his right-hand man attacked a lady who was a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, a member of the Rajya Sabha, and someone who had been the chairman of the Delhi Women’s Commission until very recently. This occurred in the Chief Minister’s residence while the Chief Minister was present. “He is obligated to offer an apology,” Sitharaman yelled, her words ringing over the political landscape.
There have been allegations of dishonour and theories of conspiracies.
The broadside that Sitharaman delivered did not end there. Additionally, she criticised Kejriwal for his recent public appearance in Lucknow alongside the accused, Bibhav Kumar, and referred to the action as “the height of shamelessness.” The Union Minister’s denunciation became more passionate as she criticised the AAP for allegedly spreading conspiracy theories. She accused Maliwal of being a “BJP mole,” which Sitharaman angrily disputed. Maliwal was accused of being a “BJP mole.”
“If she’s a BJP mole, why did you give her a seat in Rajya Sabha?” Sitharaman posed a rhetorical question, and her remark punctuated the atmosphere with an evident scorn for the claimed strategies employed by the AAPA.
Demands that the Indian government break its silence
In order to broaden the scope of her criticism beyond the ranks of the AAP, Sitharaman focused her attention on the opposition INDIA bloc and criticised the parties that make up that bloc for their egregious lack of participation in the problem. The statements made by the Union Minister highlighted the BJP’s determination to create a powerful political weapon out of the controversy surrounding Maliwal, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the nation’s capital.
As Sitharaman emphasised, her remarks resounded with a sense of fury and astonishment. “The Chief Minister’s associate assaulted a woman MP of his own party in the presence of the Chief Minister, but instead of taking action on this, the entire INDI Alliance, including the AAP, is maintaining a deafening silence,” she said.
Anti-women sentiments have been alleged to exist inside the AAP.
In a further intensification of her rhetorical onslaught, Sitharaman painted the AAP as an organisation that harbours anti-women attitudes that are deeply ingrained. The Union Minister created a devastating portrayal of an organisation that is apparently opposed to the empowerment and well-being of women by citing a litany of previous claims that have been levelled against various members of the party.
“Listing past allegations against different members of the party, Sitharaman called AAP an anti-women party,” the reports added. This highlights the concerted effort that the BJP is doing to destroy the image of the AAP and to weaken its credibility on topics that pertain to gender equality and women’s rights.
Analysis of Maliwal’s Struggle and the Delayed Complaint against Him
Specifically, Sitharaman’s criticism extended to the circumstances surrounding Maliwal’s alleged suffering, bringing attention to the supposed delay in submitting a formal complaint with the police. Asserting that the video footage of Maliwal receiving a medical test revealed her apparent distress and discomfort, the Union Minister stated that this provided evidence of the seriousness of the alleged attack.
According to the video that was taken of Maliwal going to get a medical examination, she was in such a great deal of pain that she was unable to walk in a comfortable manner. “The fact that Maliwal did not file a complaint with the police for three to four days demonstrates that she was ‘under pressure,'” she claimed. Her statements were loaded with the connotations of coercion and intimidation, as Sitharaman uttered these things.