New Delhi: A female Aam Aadmi Party worker, who committed suicide on Tuesday after her alleged molester, a party member, was released on bail, had made a sensational allegation before ending her own life.
The deceased has been identified as Soni, who resided in outer Delhi’s Narela area with her two daughters and other family members.
A senior police officer told news agency IANS, “She had made a police complaint on June 2, about one of her party colleagues Ramesh Wadhwa for harassing her. We registered a case against him and arrested him on June 3.” Wadhwa was granted bail on June 04.
In an interview broadcast by news channel Aaj Tak, Soni, before consuming poisonous substance at her home in Narela, had alleged that she had made a complaint regarding this to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. “The CM asked me to compromise,” the channel showed Soni as speaking.
She was basically unhappy over her party for not initiating any action against her alleged molester, the officer told IANS.
In her police complaint, Soni had accused Wadhwa of harassing her continuously and asking for sexual favours. She even raised the matter in the party but no action was taken against him.
Meanwhile, the family members of the woman alleged that Soni went into depression after bail was granted to the accused.
Delhi BJP alleged that AAP leaders had ignored her “harassment” complaint. The AAP has refuted the allegations and accused the BJP of playing politics over her death.
BJP slams AAP
Stating that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stands thoroughly exposed post the suicide of a woman activist, who had accused her party colleague of sexually harassing her, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said that they would lodge a formal complaint in this regard with the National Commission for Women (NCW).
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, questioned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s silence on this sensitive issue while stating that he was aware about all the events. ‘This is a very serious matter and we are going to the National Commission for Women and will talk to them. Why is the Aam Aadmi Party silent on this issue’’ asked Gupta. Stating that he had no words to describe the girl’s suffering, the BJP leader said the women are not safe in the party whose leaders used to make tall claims about the protection of women.
‘Manoj Kumar’s wife was chucked out of the house because she belongs to a poor family. Somnath Bharti’s wife had earlier complaint that he had unleashed his pet dog on her,’ he added.
Gupta said the woman activist, who allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday, had registered an FIR earlier on June 2 under Section 164 in which she named an MLA, who physically abused her.
‘The Aam Aadmi Party worker was being physically abused and mentally tortured. The Aam Aadmi Party workers and leaders were provoking her for physical abuse. She registered an FIR on June 2 and her statement was recorded under Section 164 in which she named an MLA of physically abusing her,’ Gupta told ANI.
‘She even met the Aam Aadmi Party’s top brass and also lodged a complaint in this regard with Arvind Kejriwal,’ he added.
Activists demand thorough probe
Demanding a thorough probe into the suicide of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) woman activist, who had accused her party colleague of sexually harassing her, the women activists on Wednesday said this episode is shameful on part of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party which came as an outfit with a difference. Woman activist Kavita Srivastava wondered as to under what compulsions did the AAP member commit the suicide.
Srivastava said, ‘If the woman leaves behind a suicide note and if she names any party, institution or individual then proper investigation should be done with immediate effect as to what were the compulsions and under what pressure did she take such a step.’
‘May be she was being degraded and may be things were going against her desires, we need to see all this,’ Srivastava told ANI. Srivastava further asserted that the Delhi Police should immediately investigate the matter.
‘Be it the AAP or any party, it doesn’t matter, it (Police) is an institution and to seek accountability is very important,’ she added. Another woman activist Abha Singh on her part said that the AAP worker, who had allegedly molested her was out on bail which had left the woman depressed.
‘The Aam Aadmi Party did not initiate any action and did not speak in favour of this woman and wanted to get rid of the situation,’ Singh added. ‘I believe that a lawsuit of IPC 354 has been filed against the person, who molested her. But abetment to suicide should be registered against the party workers, who did not help her due to which she got frustrated and committed suicide,’ Singh said.
Singh further said that the Delhi Police should conduct a proper inquiry in this case and should record everyone’s statement. ‘This is a matter of shame that the Aam Aadmi Party, which came to power as a party with a difference, which wanted the youth to come along, they themselves could not respect women and could not give justice to women due to which their party worker committed suicide,’ Singh added.
The AAP activist allegedly committed suicide in Narela area of north-west Delhi earlier on Tuesday with her family members claiming that she had gone into depression after her alleged molester, a party colleague identified as Ramesh Bhardwaj, was released on bail. The woman, who consumed poison at her residence, died during treatment at Delhi’s LNJP Hospital.
The woman had filed a complaint against Bhardwaj for allegedly touching her inappropriately. A case of molestation was registered in June and the accused was arrested and subsequently bailed.
