Arvind Kejriwal's car attacked by BJP workers, says AAP; Parvesh Verma makes big counterclaim

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday claimed that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was attacked during his campaign in the New Delhi constituency. The incident has sparked a political war of words between the AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

AAP alleges attack on Kejriwal’s convoy during campaign
AAP shared a video on social media alleging that BJP candidate Parvesh Verma ’s supporters attacked Kejriwal's convoy with bricks and stones. The party claimed that the attackers attempted to injure Kejriwal to hinder his campaigning efforts. The accompanying post said in Hindi, "BJP people, Kejriwal ji is not going to be scared of your cowardly attack, the people of Delhi will give you a befitting reply."

Priyanka Kakkar calls for Election Commission action
Addressing the incident, AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, "Today again BJP goons attacked Arvind Kejriwal, who was campaigning in New Delhi Vidhan Sabha, with stones. When Parvesh Verma was campaigning on the ground there, he was stunned to see that even after distributing so much money and doing all the black deeds, the public is with Arvind Kejriwal. This attack is extremely condemnable. The Election Commission does not want a peaceful election to take place in the New Delhi Assembly. Its eyes are shut... Immediate action should be taken on this. I hope the eyes of the Election Commission and the Delhi Police will open."

Parvesh Verma counters with 'baseless allegations' remark
In response, the BJP candidate from the New Delhi assembly seat , Parvesh Verma, accused Kejriwal and his team of violence and misconduct. He said, "All the allegations of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal are baseless."

He further alleged that during Kejriwal's door-to-door campaign near Lal Bahadur Sadan, three unemployed youths—Vishal, Abhishek, and Rohit—attempted to question Kejriwal about issues like employment. According to Verma, "Punjab Police beat them up, broke a worker's phone, and Kejriwal’s car hit the three youths. The driver applied brakes, but Kejriwal signaled the driver to crush them. This is an attempt to murder."

Verma alleges Kejriwal’s convoy injured three locals
Verma claimed the three youths were injured. Speaking to reporters, he said, "The car of Arvind Kejriwal has gone ahead by crushing the worker of the BJP. The leg of the worker has broken, and I am going to the Lady Hardinge Medical College to inquire about his health. This is very shameful." He added, "A case of attempt to murder will also be registered."

Verma further said, "All the three injured are residents of this assembly constituency, and they were hit by the car of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Arvind Kejriwal is afraid of his defeat."

BJP spokesperson brands AAP as 'Anarchist Apradhi Party'
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, meanwhile, launched a scathing attack on AAP, branding it the "Anarchist Apradhi Party." Poonawalla accused AAP of fabricating incidents to gain sympathy and divert attention from their failures. "The way Arvind Kejriwal drove his car over three youths shows his mindset and the desperation within AAP. This incident is nothing but a 'sponsored attack' staged by AAP to play the victim card. It’s an old habit of theirs—they create drama to avoid answering real questions from the people. Instead of addressing unemployment and governance failures, they resort to theatrics and violence," he said.

Poonawalla further claimed that the incident highlights AAP’s disregard for the rule of law. "This is the same party that thrives on anarchy. When cornered by public scrutiny, they orchestrate such events to shift the narrative. The truth is that AAP has no answers for their broken promises, and now they’re trying to pin the blame on us. The people of Delhi are watching, and they will respond through the ballot box," he added.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj slams Kejriwal over alleged car incident
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, after meeting the three youths allegedly injured by the car of Kejriwal, launched a scathing attack on the Delhi Chief Minister. The incident has intensified the war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) amid the ongoing New Delhi assembly campaign.

Swaraj claimed that the injured individuals, now undergoing treatment, were seen in wheelchairs. "AAP's National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal hit them with his car with ruthlessness and cruelty. This is an example of petty politics and shows he is afraid of his defeat," she said.

The BJP MP accused Kejriwal of avoiding accountability and failing to fulfill his promises. She questioned the credibility of his claims of feeling threatened by three youths, given his constant security provided by the Punjab Police. "How can the VVIP who is always guarded by Punjab Police get frightened by three youths?" Swaraj asked.

Highlighting the gravity of the incident, Swaraj added, "The party will take whatever criminal action needs to be taken."

AAP MP Sanjay Singh accuses BJP of hooliganism
In retaliation, AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that BJP wanted to win the elections through hooliganism.

Speaking to the media, Singh said, "They are attacking Arvind Kejriwal with stones. Parvesh Verma's people attacked him with stones. You want to win the elections by hooliganism. The workers and leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party have never bowed down before you. Why do they do such cowardly acts? What will they achieve by this? BJP is a party of cowards, and I strongly condemn it."

Congress reacts amid escalating tensions
Congress candidate from the New Delhi Assembly, Sandeep Dikshit, also condemned the incident but criticized both AAP and BJP for not addressing core public concerns. "We condemn this; violence has no place in democracy. I hope the police will investigate, and only then will it be known what kind of attack it was. Violence should not happen. I hope the police will provide Kejriwal with more security. However, both parties (AAP and BJP) do not talk about the real issues,"

Authorities have not yet verified the details of the incident. With campaigning intensifying for the New Delhi assembly seat, the incident has added to the charged atmosphere as both parties spar over the accusations.