I could be assassinated like Indira Gandhi, BJP after my life: Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Alleging that the BJP was after his life, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that he could be assassinated like former prime minister Indira Gandhi by police personnel deployed for his security.

"My own security officers report to the BJP," the Aam Aadmi Party chief alleged, drawing sharp reaction from the BJP which accused him of playing politics over the "serious" matter of security and making false allegations against it for "cheap popularity".

Rejecting Kejriwal's charge, the Delhi Police said the personnel belonging to its unit which provides protection to several high dignitaries of all political parties in the national capital, including Kejriwal, "are thoroughly committed to their job and perform duties with a high level of dedication and professionalism". Kejriwal, who has the highest Z plus security cover, alleged, "The BJP would get me murdered by my own PSO (Personal Security Officer) one day like Indira Gandhi. My own security officers report to BJP."

"The BJP is after my life, they will murder me one day," he told a news channel in Punjab, where he had been campaigning for his party which is contesting all 13 seats in the state.

Earlier this month, Kejriwal was slapped by a man during a roadshow in Delhi's Moti Nagar area. The Delhi Police had then claimed that the culprit was a disgruntled AAP worker but the party blamed the BJP for the attack.

"I will be murdered and police would say it was a disgruntled party worker. What does it mean, if a Congress worker is angry with Captain saab (Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh) can he hit him, if a BJP worker is angry with Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), can he hit him?" the AAP chief asked.

The Delhi chief minister has a team of 50 police personnel who guard him through the day at different places- his office, while he is moving, his home and when he is interacting with people.

The security is beefed up in instances if there is an intelligence input about any threat or if he is visiting a location that is vulnerable. The local police also provide assistance in this, according to officials.

The security unit of Delhi Police is a professional set up of well trained personnel who are thoroughly committed to their job and perform duties with a high level of dedication and professionalism.

The unit has been providing security cover commendably for several high dignitaries of all political parties. The security personnel posted in the security team of honourable CM, Delhi are equally well committed to their duties, said Anil Mittal, Additional PRO of Delhi Police.

BJP leader Vijender Gupta questioned why the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief did not file a police complaint if he had doubts about the integrity of his PSO and said he has insulted the police personnel.

"On May 4, before he was slapped, Kejriwal had told his liasoning officer to remove security from his vehicle. His instruction is entered in Roznamcha, which I had exposed earlier. After failing to get political advantage of this incident in the elections, Kejriwal is now saying that his PSO reports to BJP," the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly alleged.

Reacting over the allegation, the BJP accused Delhi CM of playing politics over the ‘serious’ matter of security