Wednesday 18 / September / 2024
New Delhi: A shoe was hurled at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday by man who claimed to be from Aam Aadmi Sena, a breakaway group of Aam Aadmi Party, during a press conference but it did not hit the AAP chief.
The attacker, identified as Ved Prakash, was detained by police, which quizzed him.
He talked about alleged irregularities in distribution of CNG stickers and claimed that no action has been taken though a complaint was filed by him with the chief minister.
The incident happened during a press conference at Delhi Secretariat here addressed by Kejriwal on roll out of the second phase of the Odd-Even scheme from April 15.
The shoe fell short of the chief minister, who had earlier been targeted with ink and was slapped by a man during campaigning for last Assembly election.
The attacker, who is about 26-27 years of age, shouted as he was being whisked away. Kejriwal later continued with the press conference."Arvind ji one minute please, I have conducted a sting on CNG sticker scam.
One CNG sticker is being distributed for Rs 1,000. Why are you doing this? Why don't you take action against this?," Ved Prakash Sharma said before throwing a 'CD' and shoe at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Later, he claimed that he is from Aam Aadmi Sena. After he threw his shoe at the CM, some AAP volunteers and police personnel immediately rushed towards him.
Party volunteers thrashed Prakash and, thereafter, police personnel took him out of the Media Centre of Delhi Secretariat.
According to Ved Prakash, he has conducted a sting operation on alleged irregularities in distribution of CNG sticker at a CNG station near CGO complex in Lodhi Road.
He alleged that a CNG sticker is being sold for Rs1,000 and there was a major scam.
As per the odd-even rule, CNG-run cars are exempted from road-rationing plan, but they should have a sticker issued by IGL.
Reacting to shoe attack on Kejriwal, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra claimed that Ved Prakash had called a Delhi BJP leader before throwing his shoe at the chief minister.
"Call details of Ved Prakash Sharma should be probed. He called BJP Delhi leader right before attacking," Mishra tweeted.
A senior government official said that police should have checked identity cards of journalists attending the CM's press conference.
The official said that government will only allow journalists having Delhi Information and Publicity (DIP )card to attend the Delhi Chief Minister's press conference.
Government said that it is "shameful and dangerous" that a person claiming to be journalist could use a press conference to target the chief minister.
