Following a “character assassination” campaign that was allegedly planned by party leaders and volunteers, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal claimed on Sunday that she has been the target of rape and death threats.
She claimed that following the release of a biased video by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee criticizing her, things became more heated. “I’ve been receiving rape and death threats since the leaders and volunteers of my party, the AAP, planned a campaign of victim shaming, character assassination, and stoking emotions against me. When YouTuber @Dhruv_Rathee posted a biased video against me, it made matters worse,” Maliwal wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
After the leaders and volunteers of my party i.e. AAP orchestrated a campaign of charachter assassination, victim shaming and fanning of emotions against me, I have been getting rape and death threats.
This got further exacerbated when YouTuber @Dhruv_Rathee posted a one-sided… pic.twitter.com/EfCHHWW0xu
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 26, 2024
Maliwal claimed that the party hierarchy was attempting to scare her into taking down her grievance. She also conveyed her dissatisfaction with Dhruv Rathee, stating that she tried to get in touch with him and tell him her side of the story, but he didn’t return her calls or messages. “It is shameful that people like him, who claim to be independent journalists, could act like other AAP spokespersons and victim-shame me to the extent that I am now facing extreme abuses and threats,” she stated.
Maliwal listed several points that she felt were neglected in Dhruv Rathee’s 2.5-minute video: She said Rathee failed to mention: why the AAP took a U-turn after accepting that the incident happened; the MLC report that reveals injuries due to the assault; selected part of the video was released and then the phone of the accused was formatted; the accused was arrested from the crime scene (CM house). Why was he allowed to enter the place again? For tampering of evidence?; and how a woman who always stood for the right issues, even went to Manipur alone without security could be bought over by the BJP?“
“The manner in which the entire party machinery and its supporters have attempted to vilify and shame me speaks volumes about their stand on women’s issues. I am reporting these rape and death threats to @DelhiPolice. I hope they take strong action against the perpetrators,” Maliwal said.
She concluded by noting, “In any case, if something happens to me, we know who instigated it.”Bibhav Kumar was arrested on May 18 in connection with the assault on Maliwal at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on May 13. Kumar, a former PS to Kejriwal, on Saturday moved local court seeking bail. The court has issued notice to Delhi Police and sought its reply.
