Delhi Chief Minister Atishi launched a strong attack on BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri, accusing him of breaching the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the ongoing Delhi elections. In a press conference, Atishi claimed that under Bidhuri’s direction, BJP supporters were threatening local residents in slum areas and violating election rules, while the police and Election Commission allegedly failed to take action.
“We were informed that some individuals from Ramesh Bidhuri’s team were threatening people in our Jhuggi cluster at night,” Atishi said. She explained that after receiving this information, her team tracked down the vehicle involved and found Dinesh Chaudhary, a member of Bidhuri’s team, at the scene. “Initially, it was said that Manish Bidhuri was present, but it was Dinesh Chaudhary from Sangam Vihar who was there. We have GPS-tagged photos showing him at 11:30 PM on February 3rd during the silence period in Giri Nagar Bal Mukund Khand,” she elaborated, confirming that the timing and location indicated a violation.
Atishi further claimed that, despite informing the Returning Officer, DCP, and police, no action was taken against Chaudhary. “I contacted the Returning Officer, DCP, and police, and they took him into custody. However, when we followed them, no action was taken, and the police let him go. They were heading toward the police station,” she said, expressing disbelief over the lack of accountability for the violation.
In another incident, Atishi accused BJP supporters of causing disturbances in the slums of Navjeevan Camp and Nehru Camp. She presented GPS-stamped photos as evidence, showing individuals including Anuj Bidhuri, whom she claimed is Ramesh Bidhuri’s direct nephew, involved in the violation. “Anuj Bidhuri was seen in the vehicle along with Manoj Bidhuri, known as ‘Sethi’ in the area, and Lalu Bidhuri from Tughlakabad village,” Atishi said.
Despite alerting the Election Commission and the flying squad, Atishi claimed that police officers allowed Anuj Bidhuri to escape. “When the police saw Anuj Bidhuri in the vehicle, the SHO let him go right in front of everyone,” she said. Atishi accused the police of using violence to divert attention from the incident. “To distract from this, the police beat up two local boys, Sagar Mehta and Ashmit Singh, who were recording the violation,” she added.
Atishi described the police violence as brutal, alleging that the Govindpuri SHO, Dharamveer Singh, led the assault with the support of 10 officers. “We have video evidence showing the police kicking the two boys as they were being taken to the station,” Atishi said. She also revealed that the boys were detained without formal charges. “They were held at the police station from 1 AM to 6 AM without any FIR or complaint,” she noted.
Atishi pointed out the contradiction in the police’s actions, stating that senior officers, including ACP Harindora from Southeast, ACP Sarita Vihar, and ACP Rakesh Kumar from Kalkaji, were present but failed to act. “None of the senior officers took action against the MCC violators,” she said, questioning the police’s handling of the situation.
The CM expressed frustration over the Election Commission’s inaction, accusing both the police and the Commission of shielding the violators. “I called the Election Commission, but no action was taken against Ramesh Bidhuri’s team. Instead, action was taken against me,” Atishi said, likening the situation to the Hindi saying, “Ulta chor kotwal ko daante” (The thief scolds the policeman).
Atishi raised concerns about the fairness of the elections under such circumstances. “I want to ask the Election Commission: Can we have free and fair elections in India when open hooliganism is happening in the capital, and the police are protecting those involved?” she questioned.
In a direct appeal to the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajeev Kumar, Atishi expressed her frustration with the lack of response. “Rajeev Kumar Ji, please awaken your conscience. We have been asking for a meeting since morning, but you have not given us any time,” she said, urging the Election Commission to act on the violations. She also criticized the police for targeting those reporting violations, calling their actions a “betrayal of democracy.”
“The people of Delhi are watching. They know that on one side, there are those promoting hooliganism and blocking free schemes, and on the other, those offering benefits. The people will make their decision thoughtfully,” Atishi concluded.
