Delhi police files NCR against AAP's Raghav Chadha & Atishi for 'defaming' BJP workers

The Delhi Police on Wednesday filed a non-cognizable report (NCR) against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Raghav Chadha and Atishi Marlena for allegedly defaming the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. The non-cognizable report has been filed by the Cyber Police under IPC Section 500 (defamation), and alleges that the two AAP leaders defamed BJP workers using terms like 'goons, mafia, and rapists'.

In the report, the police have noted that during a press interaction on April 15-16, Atishi Marlena referred to BJP workers as 'goons and rapists'. Alongside her, Rajendra Nagar MLA Raghav Chadha also allegedly called the BJP leaders 'mafia' and dubbed the BJP as a 'party of rapists'. The NCR has been filed based on a complaint of BJP IT cell head Abhishek Dubey. 

“During a press interaction on April 15-16, AAP’s Kalkaji MLA Atishi referred to BJP workers as criminals, hooligans, and rapists. Rajendra Nagar MLA Raghav Chadha who was also present also referred to the workers of the biggest party, BJP as hooligans, mafia, illiterate, and rapists. They also posted a tweet about this. Atishi and Raghav Chadha’s accusations and expletives against the world’s biggest party BJP and its workers are wrong,” read the report, demanding that action be taken against the leaders for defaming the party. 

What did the AAP leaders say?

The remarks reportedly came after the BJP felicitated eight of its youth wing workers who allegedly attacked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence last month. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had felicitated the 8 Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists after they were released on bail at the party office.

Addressing a press briefing, Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia, and MLAs Saurabh Bhardwaj, Atishi Marlena, and Raghav Chadha had objected to the development. "By felicitating the eight youth-wing activists, the BJP has shown that it honors hooligans and loafers", Atishi alleged.

“By doing this, it (BJP) has sent out a message to its workers across the country that it will promote them if they indulge in vandalism and harassing women,” she said, calling the BJP a party of 'hooligans, rapists, and those who harass women'. 

She had also urged the people to decide between the BJP--a party of 'hooligans and rapists', or the AAP--a party of 'well-qualified people, gentlemen, and women'. Similar remarks had been made by Raghav Chadha, who called the BJP a party of 'lunatics, rapists, and murderers'.

(With agency inputs)