Swati Maliwal 'Assault' Mystery: Kejriwal Passes Mic To Akhilesh; Sanjay Singh Brings Up Manipur, Prajwal Revanna

The Aam Aadmi Party national convenor, addressing a press conference in Lucknow with AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, passed the mic to the latter. Akhilesh responded on his behalf, saying that "there are other issues that are more important than this."

Immediately after, AAP MP Sanjay Singh took the mic to answer the question about Maliwal's 'assault' and raised questions over the 'silence' on Manipur issue, Prajwal Revanna and the wrestlers' protest against sexual harassment.

"The entire country was in pain after seeing what happened in Manipur but PM Modi was silent on the issue. Prajwal Revanna raped thousands of women but PM Modi was asking for votes for Prajwal Revanna," Singh said.

Sanjay Singh -- who was released on bail in April in the excise policy case -- further said, "When our wrestlers were protesting at Jantar Mantar, Swati Maliwal who was DCW chief was beaten up by Police...PM Modi remained silent on these issues. AAP is our family and has given a clear statement."

He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party and PM Modi "should answer" all the issues he mention, adding that "Politics should not be done on Swati Maliwal's issue."

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal had on Monday alleged that Kejriwal's close aide "assaulted' her at the chief minister's official residence, police officials said.

The next day, AAP leader Sanjay Singh had said that Kejriwal will take strict action on the recent allegation against Bibhav Kumar over "assault" on Maliwal. Singh had said that it is a "condemnable incident".

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP and senior Advocate Kapil Sibal slammed BJP, asking why Union Minister Amit Shah "is worried" about Maliwal's issue.

"It's an internal matter of AAP. You think about Prajwal, why don't you give statements on that. That is the internal matter of JD(S)," Sibal added.

OPPOSITION LEADERS SLAM AAP

As ruckus erupted over the alleged assault on Swati Maliwal, several opposition leaders slammed the Aam Aadmi Party for its silence on the matter.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed Arvind Kejriwal, saying that he was a "witness to assault and violence on Swati Maliwal".

"'Sheeshmahal' has become 'Shoshanmahal' and just like Draupadi's 'cheerharan' took place," Poonawalla said.

The BJP leader hit out at the AAP chief for dodging questions and said, " When the question is asked, Kejriwal doesn't have the courage to answer, he diverts it and puts the issue on Sanjay Singh and Sanjay Singh talking about all the issues except the main issue."

Poonawalla said that the question is "why is Kejriwal silent?"

"Why is he protecting Bibhav Kumar which means he is behind the assault, not Bibhav Kumar. Where are the INDI alliance members, Priyanka Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi? Silent on a woman issue," he added.

BJP Delhi President Virendraa Sachdeva also came down heavily on Kejriwal and said that the AAP chief "supports the oppression of women". "The real, anti-women, face of the AAP no stands exposed," Sachdeva said.

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also addressed a press conference on Thursday and said that Kejriwal has "no regrets" over his party's woman MP being beaten up and misbehaved with.

"The accused is roaming around under the protection of Arvind Kejriwal and he was also seen in the headquarters of Samajwadi Party," Bhatia said.

Bhatia's comments come after BJP leader Kapil Mishra shared a picture of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal being welcomed at the Lucknow airport on Wednesday night.

In the picture, the AAP chief's close aide Bibhav Kumar can also be seen in a black shirt. Reacting to the fresh photo, Poonawalla said, "It is clear that Sheesh Mahal attack was done at behest of Kejriwal hence they are protecting Bibhav Kumar, no FIR for 72 hrs by AAP , pushing journalists, silencing Swati Maliwal!"