Amidst a tempest of slander orchestrated by her own political allies, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal disclosed that she finds herself besieged by a deluge of menacing threats, both of rape and death.
The tempest swelled notably following the dissemination of a heavily biased video by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, amplifying the barrage of vitriol directed her way. In a communiqué via X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Maliwal lamented, “In the wake of a concerted character assassination endeavor, replete with vilification and the fomentation of fervor against me, orchestrated by the echelons of my own party, AAP, I find myself besieged by threats of the most heinous nature. Matters escalated exponentially with the propagation of a one-sided diatribe courtesy of YouTuber @Dhruv_Rathee.”
Maliwal lambasted the leadership of her party for endeavoring to coerce her into retracting her grievances. Her disappointment extended to Dhruv Rathee, whom she alleges rebuffed her attempts at discourse, choosing instead to silence her entreaties. “It is a grievous affront that individuals like him, masquerading as impartial journalists, should stoop to the level of AAP spokespersons, indulging in victim-blaming to such a degree that I am now besieged by an avalanche of calumny and threats,” she decried.
Enumerating a litany of grievances she believes were overlooked in Dhruv Rathee’s brief 2.5-minute exposé, Maliwal underscored the glaring omissions: the about-face executed by AAP subsequent to acknowledging the veracity of the incident; the MLC report documenting injuries sustained during the assault; the cherry-picked footage dissemination followed by the alleged perpetrator’s phone being wiped clean; the apprehension of the accused at the scene of the crime (the CM’s residence), followed by inexplicable reentry; the possibility of evidence tampering; and the incredulous insinuation that a staunch advocate for justice, who even ventured solo to Manipur sans security, could be swayed by the BJP’s overtures.
“The orchestrated smear campaign orchestrated by the party apparatus and its adherents betrays their stance on matters pertinent to women’s rights. I am lodging formal complaints regarding these rape and death threats with @DelhiPolice, and I trust they shall mete out commensurate retribution to the perpetrators,” she affirmed.
In a parting salvo, she remarked, “Should any untoward incident befall me, the culpable parties are unequivocally identified.” Bibhav Kumar, apprehended on May 18 in connection with the aforementioned assault at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s abode on May 13, has since sought bail. A former PS to Kejriwal, Kumar has petitioned a local court for his release, prompting said court to summon the Delhi Police for a response.
