Campaigning of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for all seven lok Sabha seats in the Capital concluded on a not-so-happy note. Delhi former Chief Minister and convener of the party Arvind Kejriwal was slapped yet again by an auto driver who was reportedly cross with the unfulfilled promises of AAP Government in Delhi.
In a premeditated move, the auto driver, lalli Prasad, first garlanded Kejriwal and slapped him on the face before Kejriwal could read his real motive. The impact of the slap was such that right side of his face swelled later. To mark the protest, Kejriwal, along with supporters, sat on ‘dharna’ at Rajghat. This was second such incident in last four days.
The incident was reported on Tuesday afternoon in Kirari Assembly constituency of North West Delhi when Kejriwal was campaigning for party candidate Rakhi Birla. The attacker, a resident of Aman Vihar area of Outer Delhi, appeared with a garland near the jeep in which Kejriwal was sitting and climbed on the vehicle and slapped on the face, causing injury in the right eye to the AAP convener. Kejriwal’s spectacles fell on the ground following the attack. Sisodia tweeted that Kejriwal has received injuries in his eye and other parts of the face too.
The 38-year-old attacker, who was taken into police custody after being beaten by party workers, alleged Kejriwal for not fulfilling promises to the auto-drivers by Kejriwal before the Assembly elections. Soon after the incident, Kejriwal came down heavily on BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, blaming him for the attack. “I do not understand why some people resort to violence for becoming the Prime Minister. If you think by attacking us, we will keep quiet, then you are wrong. We will fight this battle till the last breath,” Kejriwal said. later in a tweet, Kejriwal said, “I am just thinking -- why am I being repeatedly attackedIJ Who r (are) the mastermindsIJ What do they wantIJ What do they achieveIJ”
This was second such attack on Kejriwal in the last four days. He was attacked by a 19-year-old youth during his campaigning in Dakshinpuri area of South Delhi on Friday. The former Chief Minister has been attacked a number of times in the past. On March 28, he was attacked by a man, who claimed to be a supporter of Anna Hazare, during his election rally in Haryana. In Varanasi last month, protesters threw ink on Kejriwal and a number of other party leaders.