'Does Modi-Shah want to play with Kejriwal's life?': Atishi slams BJP over withdrawal of Punjab Police security

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Atishi has criticised the withdrawal of Punjab Police security for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah of "playing with the life" of the former chief minister.
Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) further, CM Atishi questioned the Election Commission for remaining a "mute spectator" despite "repeated attacks" on a national party leader.

"Shameful. On the instructions of Amit Shah ji, @DelhiPolice today forcibly removed @ArvindKejriwal ji's Punjab Police security. And on the same day, Kejriwal ji was attacked by BJP goons in Hari Nagar. Does Modi-Shah want to play with Kejriwal's life? How long will the Election Commission remain a mute spectator? Why is there silence on the repeated attacks on a leader of a national party?" Atishi posted on X on Thursday.

This follows the Punjab Police's decision to withdraw its security for AAP leader Kejriwal. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, on Thursday, explained that this action was taken after receiving instructions from the Election Commission of India and the Delhi Police.

"We keep on receiving reports regarding threats to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal and we share them with the concerned agencies. After the instructions of the Election Commission of India and the Delhi Police, we have withdrawn the component of the Punjab Police deployed for the security of Arvind Kejriwal," said DGP Yadav.

Atishi's statement came after AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, earlier on Thursday, claimed on his social media platform X that members of the opposition candidate's camp had disrupted his public meeting in Hari Nagar and attacked his car.

"Today in Hari Nagar, the police allowed the opposition candidate's men to enter my public meeting and then attacked my car. All this is happening on Amit Shah's orders. Amit Shah has made the Delhi Police the personal army of the BJP," Kejriwal said on X.

Kejriwal also criticised the Election Commission for its inaction, raising concerns about the repeated attacks on him. "Big questions are being raised on the Election Commission that the national president of a national party and its leaders are being constantly attacked and the Election Commission is unable to take any effective action," Kejriwal added in his post.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Parvesh Verma dismissed Kejriwal's allegations of an attack on his car as a political drama. "@ArvindKejriwal soon we will bring a drama 'Hamla hua' (attack happened), then posters will be printed - 'Mujhe Kyon Mara?'. Elections are near, Bhai Saheb is writing the script," Verma posted on X.

This is not the first time Kejriwal has claimed to have been attacked during his rallies. Last week, the AAP National Convenor alleged that he was targeted by BJP workers during another campaign event.

The Delhi Assembly elections are set to take place in a single phase on 5 February, with vote counting scheduled for 8 February. A total of 699 candidates are contesting for the 70 assembly seats in the capital.

While the Congress party, which governed Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has failed to win any seats in the last two assembly elections, the AAP has dominated the political scene. The party secured 67 seats in 2015 and 62 seats in 2020 out of 70, leaving the BJP with only three and eight seats in those elections.