4 Controversies Surrounding Swati Maliwal

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party leader Swati Maliwal on Monday alleged that she was beaten up at the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The Delhi Police said that a call was received at 9:34 AM on Monday at the Civil Lines Police Station wherein a lady alleged that she has been assaulted at the CM House. "After some time, MP Madam came to PS Civil Lines, however, she left stating she will give complaint later," DCP (North) Manoj Meena, as reported by ANI.

Swati Maliwal alleged that she was beaten up by Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, said the Police sources. However, there has been no word from either Maliwal, Kumar or the Aam Aadmi Party. 

While the sensational allegations has taken the country by storm, this is not the first time when Maliwal has been caught in an eye of storm. Here are some of the controversies that Maliwal has been marred in lately;

When Maliwal Alleged That She Was Assaulted By Her Father

Swati Maliwal in March last year alleged that she was assaulted by her father. "I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. He used to beat me up, I used to hide under the bed," said Maliwal to newsagency ANI. She said the incidents inspired her to take the work she is doing currently.

"I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. I was very small at that time. My father used to beat me up and I used to hide under the bed to save myself. While hiding under the bed, I used to think how I will teach a lesson to such men who abuse women and children, and how I can help women get their rights," she said. Narrating her ordeal, Maliwal had said that her father would grab her by her braid and slam her against the wall, leading to severe bleeding. "This happened till I was in Class 4," she recalled.

This has led to a massive controversy back then, as netizens rake up some of her old tweet of 2016. "I am the daughter of an Army man. I have been brought up in the Army. I have been taught to work for the country, to sacrifice the life for the country. I am not afraid of anything," Swati Maliwal purportedly wrote in the 2016 tweet. 

Getting Rape Threats After Opposing Sajid Khan 

Maliwal had claimed that she has been receiving rape threats since she sought removal of Sajid Khan from Bigg Boss. Maliwal had written to the Ministry of Information and Braodcasting (I&B) seeking removal of Khan from the show. Khan has been accused of sexual misconduct.  

Controversy Around Swati Maliwal's Appointment As DCW Chief 

There has been a lot of controversy since Maliwal was appointed as the chairperson of the Delhi Commission For Women. Recently, Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena had ordered the termination of over 200 employees of the DCW. This turned into a major controversy. Maliwal had then questioned the LG over the issue of termination of contractual employees of the commission questioning how it will function if most of its staff are dismissed.

“The LG in his 'Tughlaqi farman' (arbitrary order) has asked for removing all the contractual staff (of DCW). There are 90 staff in DCW out of which only eight are permanent and the rest 82 are contractual workers employed for low wages at three months contracts,” said Maliwal in a press conference. 

When she was appointed as the DCW chief in 2015 by the then-Arvind Kejriwal government. She quickly landed in a controversy with former DCW chief Barkha Shukla levelled allegations of wrongdoings in appointments made to the commission. Following an investigation, the anti-corruption branch (ACB) had filed a complaint against Maliwal and three other members of the commission. The court, while framing charges against Maliwal, had said that the appointments “smack of nepotism”.

Maliwal Had To Take Rajya Sabha Oath Twice 

When the Aam Aadmi Party nominated her to the Upper House, Maliwal's old statements claiming that she had no political statements started floating on the internet. As she took over the DCW, Maliwal had said that she has no political ambitions and wants to instead keep working for the betterment of women in the society. On the day, she entered the Rajya Sabha, she had to take oath twice as the members of the house raised objection to Maliwal raising 'Inquilab Zindabad' slogans.