Will Kumar Vishwas be arrested for 'hate speech' against Kejriwal?
Noted poet and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas appears to be in hot water for his fiery statements regarding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this year. A police team visited his house this morning and served him with a summons to cooperate in the investigation, NDTV reported. The police have reportedly charged him on various counts.
Why does this story matter?
Kumar has been at loggerheads with AAP national convener ever since he left the party. He had alleged that Kejriwal was "ready to take support" from Punjab-based fringe and separatist elements to become the chief minister of Delhi. Soon thereafter, the Centre granted him 'Y' level security. Meanwhile, opposition parties have accused the AAP of using the police for its political vendetta.
What did Kumar Vishwas say?
"The Punjab-police'>Punjab Police arrived at my doorstep early morning," Kumar tweeted, sharing some pictures of cops at his residence. "I am cautioning (Punjab Chief Minister) Bhagwant Mann, who I admitted into the party myself, that the person sitting in Delhi who you are letting play with the power given by the people of Punjab, will betray both you and Punjab one day," he added.
Here is Vishwas's tweet in Hindi
Ex-AAP leader Alka Lamba also booked
Reportedly, Congress leader Alka Lamba was also booked along with Vishwas. Lamba said on Twitter that the police had reached her house. Lamba was formerly associated with the AAP until September 2019.
Police action invites political reactions
Meanwhile, the police action ignited a Twitter war, with both the BJP and the Congress condemning it and AAP leaders applauding it. Subhash Sharma, the BJP's General Secretary in Punjab, accused Kejriwal of manipulating the Punjab Police to settle personal grievances. Sukhpal Singh, a Congress MLA in Punjab, made similar remarks, questioning how is AAP different from other parties if it misuses the police.
What were Vishwas' remarks on Kejriwal?
"One day, (Kejriwal) told me he would either become the chief minister (of Punjab)...or the first prime minister of an independent nation (Khalistan)," Vishwas had said in an interview in February. Vishwas is a founding member of Kejriwal's AAP.
Kejriwal's reaction to Vishwas' allegations
The AAP had reacted angrily to the charges, denouncing them as "fake" and demanding that Vishwas provide proof to back up his claims. It had also threatened legal action then against news organizations that broadcast Vishwas' comments. Kejriwal, who has been assailed by both the Congress and the BJP, had also sought to shift focus toward his success as a Delhi administrator.
