'Sign Of Defeat': Opposition Slams BJP Over 'Attack' On Kejriwal During 'Padyatra'

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal addresses the party's 'Mandal Officer Meeting', in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

Several leaders of opposition parties condemned the alleged attack on former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the Aam Aadmi Party allegation that the party's national convenor was attacked during a foot march in the national capital. 

In a veiled jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the attack, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that there is no need to say who might have carried out the attack. Dubbing the incident “worrying,” he also said that being violent is a sign of defeat. 

"The news of the attack on Arvind Kejriwal during the padyatra in Delhi is both condemnable and worrying. There is no need to say who might have carried out this attack. Everyone knows whose political principles in Indian politics are violence and hatred. Being violent is a sign of defeat," the SP chief said.

दिल्ली में पदयात्रा के दौरान श्री अरविंद केजरीवाल जी पर हमले का समाचार निंदनीय भी है और चिंतनीय भी।

ये हमला किसने करवाया होगा, कहने की आवश्यकता नहीं। सब जानते हैं कि भारत की राजनीति में हिंसा और नफ़रत किसकी राजनीति के सिद्धांत रहे हैं।

हिंसक होना हारने की निशानी है।

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 25, 2024

Condemning the alleged attack on Kejriwal, Nationalist Congress Party Working President Supriya Sule stated that political violence has "no place" in India. "Strongly condemn the attack on @ArvindKejriwal Ji during his padyatra. Political violence has no place in India and it undermines our democratic values. We must ensure the safety of all leaders and reject violence in our political discourse," Sule stated in a post on X.

Strongly condemn the attack on @ArvindKejriwal Ji during his padyatra. Political violence has no place in India, and it undermines our democratic values. We must ensure the safety of all leaders and reject violence in our political discourse.

— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) October 25, 2024

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also slammed the BJP, saying the party is not able to 'tolerate' the support Kejriwal is getting from the people. "Today, the BJP has tried to attack Arvind Kejriwal from its office bearers. The support Kejriwal Ji is getting from the people is not being tolerated by the BJP. They first conspired to kill him in the jail; when they couldn't succeed in that, then such attacks are being carried out," Mann said.

"No matter how much the BJP tries, it will never succeed in reducing Arvind Kejriwal's popularity and defeating him. Janata is with Arvind Kejriwal ji," he further stated. On Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that the former Delhi CM was attacked during a rally in the national capital by the "goons" of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

AAP posted a purported picture from the site of the incident and alleged that the man who attacked party chief is associated with the saffron party. "The man who attacked Arvind Kejriwal today is a BJP goon," AAP stated. Several other AAP leaders also slammed the BJP over the incident. Raghav Chadha said that these attacks are being carried out at the BJP's behest after all their 'tactics' have failed.

"After all the tactics have failed, are attacks being carried out on Arvind Kejriwal at the behest of the BJP? The level of politics should not stoop so low. If anything happens to Kejriwal, who will be responsible for it? In all these years, Kejriwal has not earned money but people's blessings. The prayers and blessings of the people of the entire country protect Arvind Kejriwal," the Rajya Sabha MP stated. "Jako rakhe Saiya maar sake na koi (Whom God protects, no one can harm him)," he added.

Party leader and former minister Satyendra Jain alleged that the BJP is "desperate" of losing the next assembly elections. "Open hooliganism of BJP. @ArvindKejriwal defeated BJP thrice in Delhi. The BJP is desperate; it is losing the elections, so it is attacking Kejriwal. BJP wants to end @ArvindKejriwal," Jain stated.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said the former Delhi CM could have "lost his life" in the attack. She further alleged that the Delhi Police didn't take any action against the miscreants who attacked the AAP chief.

"Today during the padayatra, some BJP workers raised slogans against Arvind Kejriwal and attacked him. Anything could have happened to him in this attack. If they had weapons, Arvind Kejriwal could have also lost his life. This attack has clearly been carried out by the BJP because BJP workers had attacked Arvind Kejriwal earlier as well. Till date, Delhi police has not taken any action against those who attacked Arvind Kejriwal," CM Atishi said.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia said the attack on Arvind Kejriwal is extremely "condemnable and worrying," Atishi said. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj also stated that If anything happens to Kejriwal, the BJP will be directly responsible for that. Assembly elections in Delhi are likely to be held in early 2025. In the last elections, AAP registered a landslide victory, winning 62 out of the 70 seats, while the saffron party bagged eighth seats. Congress could not win a single seat.