AAP activist suicide: Ashutosh accuses BJP of 'hijacking' family of the victim

A bitter war of words ensued on Wednesday over the alleged suicide of a woman Aam Aadmi Party activist, with BJP holding the party responsible for the death, even as AAP accused the saffron party of playing politics "over dead bodies".

AAP spokesperson Ashutosh tore into BJP leader Vijender Gupta for allegedly "hijacking" the family of the victim and coming in the way of postmortem of the body. Gupta was forcing the family members of the woman to name AAP in the case, he alleged. At a press conference, Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Gupta alleged that the entire AAP dispensation was "responsible" for the death of the 28-year-old woman, who had been "sexually harassed" by a few "members of AAP" for past few months.

Faced with a barrage of queries by journalists at the press conference as to whether the party was not politicising the case, BJP Delhi Satish Upadhyay said, "If we do not take up people's issues then who will? We will try to get justice for the family and if needed will meet the Home Minister too." AAP's Delhi Convenor Dilip Pandey claimed that the accused Ramesh, who was arrested and later released on bail, was not a member of AAP as being claimed by BJP and that the party had extended all possible help to the woman when she had approached it with the complaint.

"It is a fact that she had contacted the party. The party assisted her and got an FIR lodged. In fact the Chief Minister's Office had called the DCP office in this regard, but the police chose not to act and the accused secured bail. BJP leader Vijender Gupta is politicising the issue. He has stalled the postmortem of the body. BJP has a history of doing politics over dead bodies," Pandey said.

Ashutosh accused Gupta of "stooping" to an unprecedented low and alleged that the woman was to be cremated at 1 PM at Nigambodh Ghat but even that could not take place. "Gupta has taken the family of the victim somewhere. The family is being forced to name AAP in the case. What sort of politics is this?" Ashutosh asked.

Gupta also claimed that the family was not supported by the DCW when it had gone there seeking help in the case. However, DCW chief Swati Maliwal tweeted on Wednesday, "V sad case of Soni suicide. DCW counselor met SHO ACP n got her FIR filed. Court gv bail to accused. We demand strictest action in this case."

V sad case of Soni suicide. DCW counselor met SHO ACP n got her FIR filed. Court gv bail to accused. We demand strictest action in this case

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) July 20, 2016

On the other hand, 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 said.

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.