Anurag Thakur Questions INDIA Bloc's Silence on Maliwal Assault

Union minister Anurag Thakur criticized the INDIA bloc's silence on the Swati Maliwal assault case, labeling it "shameful and unfortunate." He accused AAP's leadership of failing to act against the assault on their own MP by a party associate. Thakur highlighted BJP's focus on women's respect and empowerment, citing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. Criticizing the INDIA bloc, he noted internal conflicts and dismissed their aspirations of forming a government, accusing Congress of prioritizing appeasement and vote bank politics. He assured that BJP will prevent religion-based reservation in India.

Union minister Anurag Thakur on Friday questioned the silence of INDIA bloc on the Swati Maliwal assault case terming the alleged incident ''shameful and unfortunate''. ''This alliance (INDIA bloc) is mum after kicking and punching women power,'' Thakur said here referring to the AAP Rajya Sabha MP's assault case in Delhi. ''The Chief Minister's (Arvind Kejriwal) associate assaulted a woman MP of his own party in CM's presence but instead of taking action on this, the entire INDI Alliance, including the AAP, is maintaining deafening silence,'' the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting said. Targeting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Thakur said that these people cannot stand up against the atrocities committed against their own woman MP, then how will they stand up for the general public. ''It is extremely shameful and unfortunate that in Delhi, where the Nirbhaya incident took place and strict rules were made against crimes against women, today the same people, who make these rules and regulations, are committing physical violence on their own woman MP,'' the minister, who addressed a series of election meetings in different parts of the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency, said. He praised the BJP-led government at the Centre saying that respect for women and women empowerment are its priorities. ''Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which will provide 33 per cent reservation to our mothers and sisters in the Assemblies and Lok Sabha,'' Thakur said.

Even before this, former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Prem Kumar Dhumal had given 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj institutions, he added.

Continuing his attack on the INDIA bloc, Thakur said that ''even before the elections, this unethical alliance of corrupt people had already formed huge knots, but in the midst of the elections, their alliance has fallen apart like a house of cards”.

''In Punjab, the Congress and AAP are fighting separately. In Bengal, the Trinamool Congress and Congress are contesting separately,'' he said, adding that in Wayanad, Left parties had opened a front against Rahul Gandhi.

''Despite all this, these people are dreaming of forming a government. Their dreams will remain dreams,'' Thakur said in a statement issued here.

He alleged that the Congress has nothing to do with development and, therefore, their priority is appeasement and vote bank politics. Thakur added that as long as the BJP is in power, ''we will not allow reservation to be implemented on the basis of religion in India''.