Delhi court summons Atishi in defamation case by BJP leader

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, May 28

A Delhi court has summoned AAP legislator Atishi to appear before it on June 29 in relation to a defamation case filed by BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor. The case stems from Atishi’s allegations that she was approached by the BJP to join the party under threat of arrest, igniting a heated exchange of criticisms between the two political entities.

Reacting to the summons, Kapoor emphasised the importance of upholding integrity in public discourse, stating, “As a common BJP worker, I felt terrible when AAP leaders falsely accused the party of running ‘Operation Lotus’. With the permission of state president Virendra Sachdeva, I filed this defamation suit. Soon, we will see Atishi apologising to BJP workers for her baseless accusations.”

Delhi BJP leader Kamaljeet Sehrawat condemned what she described as a recurring pattern of unsubstantiated claims by the AAP, remarking, “Accusing and then retracting is an old policy of AAP. Now they’ll have to develop a habit of thinking before speaking. The court’s summoning of Atishi reflects the gravity of the matter.”

Echoing Sehrawat’s sentiments, BJP’s New Delhi candidate Bansuri Swaraj accused the AAP of a “shoot and scoot” approach when it comes to making false statements. She emphasised the significance of the legal proceedings, stating, “Today, we are gratified that the Rouse Avenue Court has taken cognisance of Kapoor’s petition, and Atishi has been summoned for June 29. This demonstrates the court’s commitment to justice.”

Swaraj further highlighted the historical context of the case, stating, “On January 27, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, which was reposted by Atishi and AAP. The court has deemed this as defamatory, underscoring the severity of the allegations.”

Reacting to the summon order, Kejriwal said in a post on X, “I had said earlier that they will arrest Atishi next. They (BJP) are planning to do so now. Complete dictatorship. In completely flimsy, frivolous and false cases, they are arresting all leaders of AAP one by one. Every single Opposition leader will be arrested if Modi ji comes back to power. The AAP is not important. Saving our dear country from dictatorship is important…”

Atishi challenged BJP’s governance practices in various states, demanding accountability for their actions. She asserted, “The BJP should explain how they formed governments in Goa, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh without a majority.”