Swati Maliwal jabs Kejriwal by invoking ‘Draupadi Cheer Haran’ in social media post

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Saturday posted a photo of ‘Draupadi Cheer Haran’ from the Mahabharata as her mentor and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal lost the Assembly election and the ruling party was ousted from power in Delhi.

Her post went viral on social media as it sought to equate her with Draupadi and AAP leaders with Kauravas in Mahabharat who humiliated her and paid a heavy price for it.

The AAP’s defeat in the Assembly election on Saturday came as sweet revenge for Maliwal, once a close associate of Kejriwal, who had alleged an assault at the former Chief Minister’s residence by an aide of the AAP convener.

Her anger against Kejriwal and her party colleagues stemmed from their failure to support her and fight for her dignity after her assault. Kejriwal had maintained a cautious silence over the incident, but some AAP leaders had accused Maliwal of playing into the hands of the BJP for defaming the party.

Maliwal said her assaulter did so on the instructions of Kejriwal.

The assault incident soured relations between Maliwal and Kejriwal and the party even as she filed a criminal complaint against Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar over the incident in May 2024.

Since then, Maliwal, who earlier served as the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, has been protesting against Kejriwal and AAP leaders on various issues ranging from pollution, dirty Yamuna, contaminated water, and choked sewers.

She also staged a sit-in outside Kejriwal’s residence on several occasions to raise issues related to public interest.

After the AAP’s loss in the Assembly election, Maliwal said it was time for introspection for Kejriwal whom I know as a man with “uncontrolled anger”.

She said the party’s loss could be attributed to its disconnect with voters and the dictatorial leadership of the party’s top leaders.

Maliwal said she had given 15 years to the growth of the party and it was painful for her to see its decay and downfall.