NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party's East Delhi candidate Atishi and senior leader Manish Sisodia on Thursday alleged that pamphlets carrying derogatory insults against them were being distributed in Krishna Nagar, Vishwas Nagar and other areas of the constituency, on BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir's directions. However, Gambhir rubbished the allegation and asked for 'proof'.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the language in the pamphlet was "so abusive and low that everybody will feel ashamed while reading it". In a Press conference, Atishi and the Deputy CM read out the pamphlet. She broke down while reading out a pamphlet thereafter Manish Sisodia read out the remaining part. Atishi said she had welcomed Gambhir when he entered politics but now the BJP has stooped to an "unexpected level". "Gambhir and his party have shown that they can stoop to any level to win an election...My only question to Gambhir is if they can stoop down to this level to defeat a strong woman, how will they protect women in their area after becoming MPs?" she said. The pamphlet titled "Atishi Marlena - know your candidate" was distributed with newspapers in the area, claimed Atishi.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal raised similar questions: "How can women expect safety if people with such mentality are voted in? Atishi, stay strong. I can imagine how difficult it must be for you. It is precisely this kind of forces we have to fight against."
Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir, a celebrated cricketer turned politician, rubbished the allegation in a series of tweets implying that AAP had concocted the allegations to win and declaring that he was "ashamed" to have a Chief Minister like Arvind Kejriwal. He said if AAP proved its accusation, he would opt out of the election. In his firth tweet, he wrote, "I abhor your act of outraging a woman's modesty Arvind Kejriwal and that too your own colleague. And all this for winning elections? U r filth Mr CM and someone needs ur very own jhadu to clean ur dirty mind."
In second tweet, he wrote, "My Challenge no. 2 Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi, I declare that if it's proven that I did it, I will withdraw my candidature right now. If not, will u quit politics?" The AAP sources said that the party will file a criminal complaint to the police and also move the Election Commission. Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women took suo moto cognisance of the report and issued a notice to the Delhi Police asking them to file an FIR.