A fresh political controversy has erupted over the July protests linked to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, with activist Nishu Aazad alleging that her father was attacked during the agitation and suffered a head injury.
Aazad has accused influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj of assaulting her father and alleged that the Delhi Police has failed to register an FIR despite more than a month passing since the incident.
The controversy intensified after Aazad shared a video on X appealing to Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for intervention. She claimed that a video purportedly showing the alleged assault was also circulating on social media.
Nishu Aazad Seeks Rahul Gandhi’s Intervention
In her appeal, Aazad alleged that individuals accused of violence were moving freely despite the seriousness of the incident.
She claimed that the FIR should have been registered immediately but alleged that no action had followed. “The FIR should have been registered immediately, but the police have failed to act. It has been over 1.5 months and the police are not helping us. I don’t have any faith in the Delhi Police. Therefore, I urge Rahul Gandhi ji to help me get justice.”
Aazad also appealed for action against those she accused of attacking her father, saying that people responsible for such incidents should face the law.
Rahul Gandhi Responds, Targets Modi Government
Rahul Gandhi responded to Aazad’s appeal on X and assured her that she did not need to panic.
He alleged that Aazad had been targeted because she had raised her voice over students’ rights and said he would continue pursuing the matter until she received justice.
Gandhi also sharply criticised the Delhi Police and Union government, alleging that students had faced “inhuman brutality” while the person accused of attacking Aazad’s father remained free.
He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over what he described as alleged protection being provided to the accused.
The allegations have added a fresh political dimension to the dispute, with the Congress leader directly tagging Modi and Shah in his post.
Swatantra Bharadwaj Gives His Side
Bharadwaj has rejected the allegations of an unprovoked attack and offered a different account of the incident.
In his clarification on Friday, he claimed that he acted in self-defence, alleging that he had been surrounded by 10-15 people and feared being lynched. “I was gheroed by 10-15 people. When I acted in self-defence, he was hit on the head.”
Bharadwaj further claimed that the medical report did not indicate major injuries and said he was cooperating with the investigation.
He also disputed the authenticity of material being circulated online, claiming that a podcast clip shared by Rahul Gandhi and others was fake. “As per his medical report from Delhi Police, he did not suffer major injuries. I am cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The podcast clip that is being shared on social media by Rahul Gandhi and others is fake.”
Bharadwaj said he had videos relating to the incident and appealed to Union Minister Chirag Paswan and Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra for support.
CJP Leaders Reach Parliament Street Police Station
The controversy took another turn on Friday when CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka visited the Parliament Street Police Station.
The leaders demanded that police register an FIR based on Aazad’s complaint. They also alleged that police action was being delayed because of political pressure from the BJP.
Das questioned why people accused of violence during the CJP protest were allegedly still moving freely. “Why are these criminals roaming openly in Delhi? Today, criminals are openly claiming that they attacked the people during the CJP protest. They are also threatening girls. Delhi Police should answer on this.”
The CJP leaders further demanded that police register a murder case, escalating their criticism of the handling of the matter.
What Happens Next?
The competing accounts have turned the July CJP protest incident into a wider political confrontation involving the Delhi Police, Congress leaders and CJP activists.
While Nishu Aazad has sought justice for her father and accused Bharadwaj of assault, Bharadwaj maintains that his actions were in self-defence and says he is cooperating with the investigation.
The authenticity of the videos and the precise circumstances surrounding the alleged assault remain central to the dispute. Further police action and investigation are likely to determine what happened during the confrontation.
