Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday slammed the BJP-led central government for its failure to ensure women’s safety and maintain law and order in Delhi. Speaking at the “Mahila Adalat” event at Thyagaraj Stadium, Kejriwal criticized the BJP for not prioritizing women’s safety, despite holding control over Delhi’s police forces.
Kejriwal remarked, “Ten years ago, you entrusted me with improving schools, hospitals, and water supply in Delhi, and I have delivered on that. But security was entrusted to BJP and Amit Shah, and they have failed,”.
The former Delhi chief minister emphasized that he does not treat women as a “vote bank” and assured that he has done everything within his power to ensure their safety. “Before AAP came to power, there were no CCTV cameras in the city. We installed them and appointed bus marshals to enhance security,” Kejriwal stated.
The “Mahila Adalat” event was organized to mark the 12th anniversary of the 2012 Delhi gang rape, a case that sparked nationwide outrage and led to stricter anti-rape laws. Several women survivors of sexual assault shared their traumatic experiences, with some breaking down as they recounted their stories in front of the audience.
A short video, inspired by the television program “Aap Ki Adalat,” was also shown, highlighting crimes against women and accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of inaction on the matter.
The event saw participation from key political figures including Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister Atishi, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. Yadav echoed Kejriwal’s criticism of the Centre’s handling of women’s safety, calling out the Home Department’s inefficiency. “The Home Department exists just in name. If they fail to provide security, then who is doing the job?” Yadav questioned, also praising the AAP’s health model, which has been adopted by several states.
BJP Responds
The BJP quickly responded to Kejriwal’s remarks by turning the focus to a complaint filed by Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. The BJP asked the AAP to address the allegations of harassment by Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar. The party also criticized the presence of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav at the event, calling it an “insult” to the memory of the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim.
In a statement, the BJP reminded Kejriwal of a controversial remark made by Akhilesh Yadav’s father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, who once defended men who commit crimes against women by saying, “Boys make mistakes.” The BJP challenged Kejriwal to ask Akhilesh Yadav to apologize to the women of the country for his father’s comments.
