NEW DELHI: Opposition events have focused the BJP after a video surfaced wherein self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj claimed {that a} cellphone name from Delhi minister Kapil Mishra helped him keep away from jail after he allegedly attacked the daddy of a pupil protester.Bhardwaj has been accused of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, the daddy of pupil activist Nishu Azad, throughout a Cockroach Janta Get together (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar.Additionally learn: ‘Feel the power!’: Influencer flaunts kada in Instagram story after ‘cracking CJP protester’s skull’ at Jantar MantarWithin the video, Bhardwaj seems to discuss the alleged assault and claims to have the backing of a number of political leaders, together with Mishra, Union minister Chirag Paswan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Chief of opposition within the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioned why Bhardwaj was not jailed and requested whether or not he loved political safety.“I cracked the cranium of Nishu’s father. Are you aware which part this crime attracts? Part 307. He wanted 60 stitches. The person was being taken away in an ambulance in a critical situation. His daughter was standing exterior the police station and saying that she would die by suicide if her father did not get justice. However I used to be not even jailed. The world ought to know this. I used to be out and about via the night time,” Bhardwaj is heard saying within the video.“I’ve the blessings of Hanuman. Secondly, Kapil Mishra is my elder brother. They are saying Kapil Mishra known as and I used to be launched. Chirag Paswan is my elder brother. What number of leaders are you aware? Are you aware Modi ji? Modi ji can be my elder brother. I’ve everybody’s help,” he says.Information company PTI contacted Mishra and Paswan for his or her response however acquired no reply.
Delhi Police rejects claims of great damage
Delhi Police later rejected claims that Kumar had suffered a fractured cranium or critical accidents.In a submit on X, the workplace of the deputy commissioner of police, New Delhi, stated Kumar had suffered a head damage from a kada, or bangle, worn by one of many males concerned in a scuffle.“On 23.06.2026, at Jantar Mantar, through the CJP protest, Sanjay Kumar (38), a resident of Ghaziabad, sustained a head damage by Kada worn by one of many alleged throughout a scuffle.“He was medically examined by medical doctors of RML Hospital, and the accidents have been opined to be easy in nature. The accidents have been made by kada and never by any weapon. The misinformation concerning crack in cranium is just not supported by information/ MLC and is totally baseless,” the submit stated.Police stated a case was registered at Parliament Avenue police station on Kumar’s assertion.“They have been detained from the positioning and through investigation, Suraj Kumar (24) and Swatantra Bhardwaj (21) have been served notices as per regulation and have been interrogated. Due authorized motion has been taken, and chargesheet can be filed earlier than the competent court docket quickly.“Any allegation of undue affect or interference within the matter is factually incorrect and baseless. The matter has been handled strictly in accordance with regulation and procedures,” it stated.Across the time the police issued the assertion, Bhardwaj posted {a photograph} of himself on Instagram exhibiting his kada, with the caption “Really feel the ability!”
Rahul Gandhi backs pupil protester
The controversy has drawn help for Azad from opposition events, together with the Congress, Aam Aadmi Get together (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC).Gandhi stated the coed was being focused for elevating her voice over the rights of her group and college students.“Nishu, there isn’t any must panic. I am with you. It is clear that you simply’re being focused since you increase your voice for the rights of your group and college students. Amit Shah’s Delhi Police, on one hand, commits inhuman brutality in opposition to college students. However, the felony who smashed the top of a Dalit lady’s father is roaming freely within the open.”Tagging Prime Minister Modi and Dwelling Minister Amit Shah, he requested, “Why does such a felony have the safety of you and the folks in your social gathering? Will there be motion now, or will you retain shielding somebody?”Gandhi was responding to a submit by Azad wherein she stated she hoped the opposition chief would assist ship justice.“I’ll struggle and I’ll win this battle,” she wrote.Earlier, after Bhardwaj’s video went viral, Azad had expressed concern in regards to the security of herself and her household.“I am nervous about my and my household’s security, however I will not be scared — I’ll proceed my struggle in opposition to injustice and casteism. @DelhiPolice is just not taking any motion, and we hope that every one the opposition leaders will ship justice to me, a daughter of the Dalit group,” she wrote on X.
Kejriwal, Mahua Moitra assault BJP
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal additionally shared Bhardwaj’s video on X and attacked PM Modi.“You completely should watch this video. Your blood will boil. Did heroes like Bhagat Singh sacrifice their lives for this, that in the future the nation would get a main minister who would overtly defend such thugs?” Kejriwal requested.TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra questioned Dwelling Minister Amit Shah over the allegations and stated a motion demanding his resignation ought to proceed.“So should not the motion for Amit Shah’s resignation proceed? Is not he accountable? Sept 5 March was known as off as a result of 20 odd Delhi FIRs have been recalled however is not this additionally a part of the brutality which can go unaccounted for?” Moitra requested.
‘I can be coming with my father’
The CJP has demanded motion in opposition to Bhardwaj and questioned why Delhi Police had not acted on what it described as an “open admission”.The outfit stated its members would attain Parliament Avenue police station at 10am on Friday to hunt justice for Kumar and Azad.Responding to the announcement, Azad stated, “I can be coming with my father.”Kumar was attacked through the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in July, when his daughter was collaborating in and documenting the coed agitation.CJP spokesperson Saurav Das alleged that Kumar’s “cranium was cracked open” and stated the character of the wound warranted an attempt-to-murder cost.He alleged that police had refused so as to add the cost to the FIR.Das stated an attempt-to-murder cost would have led to Bhardwaj’s instant arrest as a result of it’s a cognisable and non-bailable offence.He alleged that deputy commissioner Sachin Sharma and Assistant Commissioner Ajay Sharma had refused the demand and requested the protesters to “go get a court docket order”.Das additionally questioned whether or not Mishra must be named within the case over the alleged cellphone name.“So inform us, why ought to (minister Kapil) Mishra not be made an confederate within the FIR since he illegally interfered with the course of justice? Why ought to he not resign for shielding gang members and abusing his workplace? Does BJP’s management help this?” Das wrote on X.
Who’s Swatantra Bhardwaj?
Bhardwaj has a sizeable social media following, with 1.84 lakh customers following his Instagram account. His profile describes him as a “Swatantra Sanatani Yodha”.He has posted a number of movies focusing on folks collaborating within the CJP agitation.In a video posted through the July 20 protest, he known as the protesters “terrorists” and “cockroaches” and demanded that “staunch sanatanis” like him be allowed to behave as Delhi Police personnel for a day.The newest controversy has put renewed concentrate on the police dealing with of the assault case and on Bhardwaj’s claims that he has political connections.Delhi Police has denied any undue affect or interference, saying the case has been dealt with in accordance with regulation and {that a} chargesheet can be filed earlier than the competent court docket.(With inputs from PTI)