While at Wednesday’s Jan Sunwai, a man impersonating a petitioner approached CM Rekha Gupta with papers. Eyewitnesses say the man suddenly grabbed her hand and tried to pull her away, leading to a scuffle. Some reports indicated she may have experienced a minor head injury, or bumped her head, while some BJP leaders downplayed ill intentions, and were adamant that claims of a slap were out of the question. The Jan Sunwai proceedings were interrupted as the man was tackled by security personnel.
Accused Identified and Detained
Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, a 41-year-old resident of Rajkot, Gujarat, has been identified as the attacker. He was detained by police immediately, and he continues to remain in custody during questioning. Authorities have acquired CCTV footage of the accused the day before, near the CM’s residence — indicative of possible intent.
Accused’s Mother Speaks: “He’s Mentally Unstable, Loves Animals More Than Family”
Rajesh Sakariya’s mother Bhanuben, described her son as a devotee of Lord Mahadev and someone who had a passion for animals. She said he cared more about dogs, cows, and a birds over caring for his own family. Rajesh was very upset with the Supreme Court’s recent order on stray dogs and would leave for Delhi saying simply, “I’m going there because of the dogs.” She said Rajesh had many long-term mental health issues, she admitted he had even attacked her in their home, and never had the proper treatment. “His mind is unpredictable,” she said. “He does not care about family or keeping them safe, he only dreams of helping animals,” she added.
In her words:
“He left for Delhi this Sunday. When asked, he simply said, ‘I’m going there because of the dogs.’ He did not care about the family as much as he cared about animals.”
She added that Rajesh told him he had a strained phone call with his dad and he did that because helping the animals made him go to Delhi. The family told police that Rajesh is an auto-rickshaw driver by profession with a very humble origin in Rajkot and he wanted to have a veterinary clinic in the future.
Bhanuben expressed regret and confusion, saying:
“I do not know what he went there to do. His mind works unpredictably.”
Political Reactions
Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva called the attack “shocking” and assured that CM Gupta is safe and resolute. In his statement, he said:
“Yeh ghatna bilkul aswikar hai. Rekha ji surakshit hain aur dridh hain. Iske peeche koi sajish toh nahi, iska pata lagana zaroori hai.”
AAP Leaders Denounce the Attack, Stress Non-Violence
AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal stated:
“Loktantra vichaaron ke bhed ko sweekar karta hai, lekin hinsaa ka koi sthaan nahi hai. Mujhe vishwas hai ki Delhi Police isme kathor karyavahi karegi. CM ji ko jaldi swasthya laabh ki kaamna karta hoon.”
Congress Highlights Broader Concerns Over Women’s Safety
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said:
“Rajneeti mein hinsaa ka koi sthaan nahi hai. Agar CM khud surakshit nahi hain toh aam mahilaon ki suraksha ka kya hoga? Iski gahrai se jaanch honi chahiye.”
Eyewitness Accounts & Security Issues
Attendees were aghast at how quickly the attack happened. One observer stated, “She was having a normal conversation, and then – the next thing I know – there was chaos.” Another expressed worry about inappropriate security, explaining that it shouldn’t be this easy to get to a CM while at a public hearing.
