The recent attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has escalated into a major political controversy, with the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trading sharp accusations.
BJP leader Harish Khurana alleged that the accused attacker, identified as Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakriya, is linked with AAP. To back his claim, he shared a photograph on social media showing the alleged attacker alongside AAP leader Gopal Italia. Khurana claimed that the image proved the suspected connection and accused AAP of being behind the attack.
“What was suspected has now been confirmed. The photo with @ArvindKejriwal’s close associate @Gopal_Italia says it all. It clearly shows that the attack on @gupta_rekha ji is connected to @AamAadmiParty. Kejriwal ji, please explain—what is this relationship called?” Khurana wrote in a post on X.
Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also joined in, suggesting that Gupta’s political rivals were unsettled by her growing popularity and grassroots work. He implied that the attack was politically motivated and demanded a thorough probe into the conspiracy behind it.
AAP counters with AI claim
AAP, however, strongly denied the allegations, dismissing the photo as fake. The party said the viral image was generated using artificial intelligence and had no connection with reality. According to AAP, the accused has no ties with their organisation.
In its response, the party also released the original video of Italia, reportedly shot on August 2, showing him interacting with another person. This, AAP argued, was proof that the viral photograph linking Italia with the attacker was digitally manipulated.
AAP leaders criticised the BJP for circulating misinformation. They accused the ruling party of defaming itself by using AI-generated content for political gains. The party also reminded people that violence must never be used as a tool in democracy.
Former Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi condemned the incident, stressing that such attacks weaken democratic values. Senior leader Saurabh Bharadwaj recalled that Kejriwal himself had faced multiple physical attacks in the past, calling the incident a dangerous reminder of rising political violence.
The investigation into the assault is ongoing, but the political blame game has already deepened divisions between the two rival parties.
