The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from East Delhi, Atishi, wept in a press conference on Thursday after a pamphlet with obscene reference to her personal life surfaced in the constituency. The AAP accused BJP candidate and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir of circulating the pamphlet, a charge that he denied.

Besides allusions to her personal life, the pamphlet contained choice abuses for AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Sisodia sat by Atishi’s side, supporting her as she cried reading out from the pamphlet.

Kejriwal urged Atishi to “stay strong” and “fight these forces”. “How can women expect safety if people with such mentality are voted in? Atishi, stay strong. I can imagine how difficult it must be for you. It is precisely this kind of forces we have to fight against,” Kejriwal tweeted.

Atishi, daughter of public-spirited activists, said, “I did not join politics for money or fame. We wanted change for the better. When Gautam Gambhir joined the contest, I welcomed him because I genuinely believe good people should join politics. I never thought he would stoop to this level.” Atishi claimed the pamphlets had been circulated in residential colonies by Gambhir’s team.

“If he (Gautam Gambhir) is doing this against one woman, what about the lakhs of women in East Delhi who are worried about their safety,” Atishi said.

Gambhir denies charge

Gambhir followed with a series of tweets, saying that he is “ashamed” to have a Chief Minister like Arvind Kejriwal and that he would withdraw his candidature if Atishi’s charge is proved.

“I abhor your act of outraging a woman’s modesty Arvind Kejriwal, and that too your own colleague. And all this for winning elections? You are filth Mr CM and someone needs your very own jhaadu to clean your dirty mind(sic),” Gambhir tweeted.

“My Challenge no.2 Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi. I declare that if it is proven that I did it, I will withdraw my candidature right now. If not, will u quit politics?(sic)” he said in another tweet.

The BJP also refuted the allegation.

“The BJP has nothing to do with the alleged pamphlets. The AAP has no character and it is notorious for such things. They can do anything like getting their leaders slapped and distribute scandalous pamphlets to be in the race for Lok Sabha polls,” said Nvon Kumar, BJP media in-charge East Delhi.

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