Recent Indian politics has set off a huge controversy over claims by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) about a plot to eliminate its leader and the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal. The claims have been a starting point for heated exchanges between AAP leaders and the opposition, particularly the BJP. The controversy has stoked fears about the safety of India’s political leadership for the second time, and AAP described the situation as a “deep conspiracy” to destabilize its leadership.
AAP Leaders’ Allegation
The storm began as AAP leaders publicly made allegations that some forces were actually planning to harm Arvind Kejriwal. They claimed that those forces, whom they elected not to name directly, were even planning to assassinate Delhi CM. AAP leadership claims that Kejriwal’s popularity and the party’s increasing influence across the country have made him a target of powerful political bodies that feel threatened by his governance model and the ever-increasing base of support that AAP has managed to garner.
Senior AAP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, have been vociferous on this issue, saying that Kejriwal’s life is under threat. They say that there is a “deep conspiracy” at work to silence Kejriwal, whose anti-corruption agenda and public service-oriented policies have irked many within the political system. The AAP leaders believe that these forces want to eliminate him physically because they are unable to defeat him politically or ideologically.
AAP’s Claims of Political Vendetta
AAP leaders have referred in their statements to what they termed a long-standing vendetta against Kejriwal. After taking office in Delhi, Kejriwal had spoken often against the BJP, mainly on issues involving governance in Delhi. His tussles with the central government, especially on issues concerning control over the administrative machinery and law and order in Delhi, have regularly pitted him against the ruling party at the centre.
AAP further claimed that moves have been made before to sabotage Kejriwal’s security and that the plot is part of a larger plan to undermine the influence of the party. The party said that Kejriwal had earlier faced assault attacks, like in 2019 when a man slapped him during a public rally. Then, AAP had blamed the BJP for it.
Security Demands Mained
After these allegations, the AAP party has demanded more security for Arvind Kejriwal. The central government should take seriously the threat made to him and give him full-scale protection as the CM of Delhi, as for which Delhi police is not concerned since they are under the control of Union Home Ministry rather than the Delhi state government, they say.
On the other hand, Kejriwal has publicly declared several times that he never gets intimidated by such threats. His followers consider him to be bold and strong enough to withstand any kind of challenge or adversity, yet AAP leaders still continue to argue for strict security measures in order to safeguard him. Any laxity, they think, would prove too catastrophic: not only for his life but also for Delhi’s political scenario and for the country at large.
BJP Replies: ‘Baseless and Desperate’
The BJP has dismissed the accusations made by AAP leaders, terming them baseless and desperate to gain sympathy for elections. AAP had cooked up this entire plot to dodge real issues and create a political narrative where Kejriwal could turn into a victim, it said.
The leaders of the BJP say such a conspiracy to kill Kejriwal is nothing but political theatrics to draw public attention. They feel AAP is trying to divert attention from controversies in its governance in Delhi on issues of air pollution, public infrastructure, and health services by creating a sensational story of a death threat.
Further, it argued that the central intelligence agencies and law enforcement deal with the security of political leaders, who are not politically motivated. In this regard, the BJP said that India has an effective mechanism to protect all high-profile political leaders, such as opposition leaders like Kejriwal. It was for this reason that the party ruled out any assassination plot of a politician at a time when all target politicians were under constant scrutiny.
Political analysts feel that all these allegations of a plot to eliminate Kejriwal are part of a broader strategy by AAP to appear as a party under siege from the establishment. The leadership of AAP has been presenting it as a victim of political persecution from the days of anti-corruption movement to when it confronted the central government.
The rhetoric of being constantly under siege has helped the party attract loyal supporters in voters who perceive Kejriwal as an outsider battling the political elite. Against this, however, many have argued that AAP’s stance as a victim can last for just so long, and the party needs to really pay much attention to governance and deliver on services in Delhi rather than resorting to political discourses of victimhood.
Conclusion: An Ever-Widening Chasm
The conspiracy theory to kill Arvind Kejriwal only seems to deepen the already widened chasm between AAP and BJP. While AAP continues to harp on the alleged very real threat to the head of its party, the BJP has dismissed all that in outright political posturing. But a controversy like this goes to reiterate the very vitriolic political scenario seen in India, more so against the backdrop of an election season.
The situation is still tense as AAP is demanding more security guarantees and BJP is sticking to its statement that the allegations are false. Whether these claims will lead to any concrete action or they will be a part of the political discourse remains to be seen. The safety of political leaders, however, remains a matter of concern, and the public will be watching closely how this situation unfolds in the coming days.
